Press Releases
FOSIS, the national Muslim student body, commented on the human right to medical access of Dr.Aafia Siddiqui – a prisoner, a mother and a human being who has been the centre of one of the "most unconvincing cases of detention" in recent years. There have been reports that Dr. Aafia Siddiqui has contracted cancer whilst imprisoned in FMC Carswell; a prison notorious for its history of sexual abuse and medical negligence. FOSIS joins Dr. Siddiqui’s family in their call for an independent and impartial medical examination team.
FOSIS spokesperson, Amandla Thomas-Johnson, said today, ‘This is about maintaining consistent standards of justice and human rights. As British Muslim students, who have witnessed the erosion of civil liberties and human rights in the last decade, we feel we must comment.’
Dr. Siddiqui’s family remains adamant that she is incarcerated unjustly; speculations of her whereabouts prior to her arrest in 2008, from both Pakistani and American sources, were disregarded in court, and a lack of forensic evidence or consensus in witness statements renders the verdict highly controversial.
While Afghan and Pakistani authorities claim that Dr. Siddiqui’s two eldest children are now living with family, the whereabouts of her third child remains unknown. Such lack of accountability and presumption of guilt have become a cause of grave concern for British Muslims, with the on-going detention of Shaker Aamer and Babar Ahmad being two glaring examples of British residents who have fallen prey to a growing culture of fear and suspicion, and the compromise of constitutional liberties that comes with it.
[ENDS]
Notes:
1. FOSIS (est. 1963) is the umbrella organisation of student groups in colleges and universities throughout the UK and Ireland, representing the interests of over 100,000 Muslim students.
2. For more information please contact Amandla Thomas-Johnson on 07984296626, email
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
or alternatively visit our website www.fosis.org.uk
SOURCE: Fosis.org.uk
