Aafia More Guilty than Chauvin?

So Derek Chauvin, the cop who killed George Floyd--in broad daylight and on camera--got a prison term of 22.5 years. And he's appealing, so, if the pattern of police impunity holds, he may get out. Pakistani scientist #AafiaSiddiqui, killed no one and injured no one. But she got 86 years. Where is the justice in that?

Al-Jazeera Piece Reveals More U.S. Torture Techniques

A recent Al-Jazeera article talks about the US torture center at Baghram, Afghanistan. One of the former detainees interviewed, named Sultan, speaks of losing his teeth during interrogation (ie torture). Pakistani political prisoner Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, who was also secretly detained at Baghram (her name did not appear in any prison registry, contrary to international law), similarly lost her teeth. This raises the possibility that this was standard practice by US forces, who claimed to be in Afghanistan to bring democracy there. The question remains: When will the US (and their equally genocidal predecessors, the Russians) be held accountable for the death and destruction it wrought on Afghanistan and its people?

--Nadrat Siddique

One Explanation for Pakistan Government's Inaction on Aafia

Despite massive support for Aafia amongst the Pakistani public, and the subsequent (perhaps opportunistic) campaign promises of the current prime minister, Imran Khan, to get her released, if he got into office, Aafia Siddiqui continues to languish in a U.S. jail for upwards of 18 years. The Pakistani government has yet to perform the most elemental step of formally requesting her release. The question arises: Why?

The simplest answer seems to be: The Pakistan government is even more complicit than the U.S. in Aafia's continuing detention. At least, the U.S. had expressed an interest at an official level at various points to conduct a prisoner exchange, or some such for Aafia. Although I'm no expert, I believe that under International Law, the Pakistani government and its principles can be taken before the International Criminal Court (ICC), for their role in Aafia's kidnapping, rape, and torture. The U.S., on the other hand, cannot easily be tried before the ICC or any other international body, as they are not signatories to these. 

So, Aafia's release would mean exposure of the Pakistani government's crimes, and open the door to an international inquiry/ litigation. Also, given the monumental support for Aafia across Pakistan, where she is considered the "Daughter of the Nation," reaction to the crimes against her, when and if she is finally released and the full, sordid details come out, is likely to be explosive. This may explain, at least in part, the Pakistan government's hesitancy in requesting Aafia's release.

--Nadrat Siddique