New Delhi
Danish Siddiqui, an Indian Pulitzer-winning Indian journalist with Reuters who was killed in Afghanistan on July 16, 2021, was tortured to death inside a mosque In the Spin Boldak area of Afghanistan allegedly by the Taliban soldiers, a month before the group took control of capital Kabul.
This has been stated by his Delhi-based parents Prof. Akhtar Siddiqui and Shahida Akhtar, in a complaint filed in the International Criminal Court (ICC). They have asked the ICC prosecutor to investigate his killing and bring those responsible, including leaders and high-level commanders of the Taliban, to justice.
The complaint has been filed through Avi Singh at Cicero Chambers, a lawyer with extensive experience in international criminal law.
The ICC is the Hauge-based international body that investigates crimes against humanity and launches independent prosecutions against the accused.
The complaint states that Danish Siddiqui, who was embedded by Reuters with the Afghan Special Forces in Spin Boldak, was injured in an attack by the Taliban. He was taken to a mosque, historically a place of refuge, for medical treatment.
“The mosque was attacked by the Taliban, and Danish was taken into custody, tortured, and murdered. Reports say that he was attacked by the Red Unit of the Taliban. After his killing, his body was mutilated, including being run over by a heavy vehicle in public. His body revealed marks of brutal torture and 12 bullet entry and exit points. These were received after his capture, as his bulletproof jacket has no bullet marks,” the petition says.
“From multiple accounts, it is clear he was tortured and killed because he was a journalist and an Indian.
"Danish, our loving son, was murdered by the Taliban for simply carrying out his journalistic duties," said Danish Siddiqui's mother, Shahida Akhtar. "He was subjected to barbaric levels of torture and mutilation while in their custody. Danish always stood for honesty and integrity in his work. He always showcased the pain and suffering of the people. He was brave all along. The Taliban targeted and killed Danish because he was a journalist and an Indian. That is an international crime. In the absence of rule of law in Afghanistan, the ICC has jurisdiction to investigate and try the perpetrators of Danish's murder. As the Taliban strives for international legitimacy, it must face accountability for its past actions."
The complaint says the Taliban leadership is responsible for the torture and killing of Siddiqui as well. They were aware of the incident and, also, have done nothing to punish the perpetrators. The Taliban leaders against whom the complaint is lodged include Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, Supreme Commander, Mullah Hassan Akhund, Head of the Taliban Leadership Council, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, head of the Taliban's Political Office in Qatar, Mawlawi Muhammad Yaqoob Mujahid, Minister of Defence, Gul Agha Sherzai, governor of Kandahar, Zabbihullah Mujahid, spokesperson, and the local commanders.
This case of torture and killing constitutes not only murder but a crime against humanity and a war crime.
The Siddiquis, in a statement, said, "As parents, we feel emotionally and morally obliged to take this action," Prof. Akhtar Siddiqui, Danish Siddiqui's father, said. "We hope the world will also take notice of the extreme challenges and threats journalists face in reporting from conflict zones. While our son will not come back, our petition will ease our grief in the hope that someday justice will be done."
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