Skip to main content

Why the case of Aafia Siddiqui demands urgent action now

These are the final days to demand that outgoing President Joe Biden grant clemency to a political prisoner and victim of the US 'war on terror', unjustly serving an 86-year sentence
People demand the release of Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani neuroscientist, sentenced to 86 years in prison by a US judge in September 2010, during a protest in Karachi, Pakistan on 8 October 2021 (Akhtar Soomro/Reuters)
People demand the release of Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani neuroscientist, sentenced to 86 years in prison by a US judge in September 2010, during a protest in Karachi, Pakistan on 8 October 2021 (Akhtar Soomro/Reuters)

Dr Aafia Siddiqui's case has long been a symbol of injustice, not just for her but for the broader struggle against the inhumane treatment of Muslim political prisoners.

For years, she has languished in one of the most notorious prisons in the United States, subject to horrific abuse and denied even basic rights, including access to chaplaincy, which she requested.

The urgency of her case now - at this moment - is not just about her but about what her continued imprisonment represents for all of us.

Some might ask: Why focus on one woman when thousands are being killed in Gaza? When there are so many looming injustices?

But this line of thinking is deeply flawed.

New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch

Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters

The Quran teaches us that saving one life is like saving all of humanity (5:32). And when we begin to justify inaction based on numbers, we risk dehumanising ourselves the same way our enemies do when they reduce us to statistics, to nameless casualties.

The struggle for justice is not about choosing between Aafia and Gaza; it's about standing for every victim of state-sanctioned cruelty, regardless of scale.

'Deliberately manufactured'

Aafia's case represents something far bigger than herself. And the distance from her case - the deliberate reluctance, the hesitation to speak up - represents something even bigger.

Her imprisonment is a lingering wound, one that does not just affect her family or the Muslim community but continues to fuel resentment worldwide

In 2021, I wrote about the moral dilemma of distancing ourselves from her.

Some have done so out of fear of association, others due to exhaustion from a seemingly unwinnable battle. But our willingness to advocate for her - or to abandon her - says more about us than it does about her.

If we give up on those who suffer alone in dark prison cells, how do we expect the world to care about the suffering of entire nations?

And let's be clear: the scepticism surrounding Aafia's case has been deliberately manufactured.

The way she disappeared, was tortured and then tried under deeply flawed legal proceedings has left a cloud of ambiguity that works in the favour of those who wish to erase her.

But the facts remain: she was never convicted of terrorism.

The charge against her - attempting to shoot US soldiers while detained - was dubious at best, with no forensic evidence and deeply contradictory testimony.

Aafia Siddiqui
Aafia Siddiqui poses during her doctoral graduation in neuroscience at Brandeis University in Boston, Massachusetts, in an undated photo (Social media)

Her imprisonment is a lingering wound, one that does not just affect her family or the Muslim community but continues to fuel resentment worldwide. One of the most common criticisms of efforts to free Aafia is the claim that terrorist groups have allegedly used her case as a rallying cry.

But this argument is utterly baseless.

Throughout history, we have seen noble causes invoked by illegitimate actors, but that does not diminish the righteousness of those causes. If anything, keeping her imprisoned only fuels more anger and resentment towards her captors.

Regardless, keeping her in this state of indefinite suffering does nothing but create more instability and anger among those who see her as a symbol of Muslim suffering.

Unequal justice

If common sense prevailed, Aafia's case would have been resolved long ago.

And yet, this urgency extends beyond her.

Twenty-three years after 9/11, Muslim victims of US violence deserve justice
Read More »

Imam Jamil al-Amin (formerly H Rap Brown), whose trial was marred by inconsistencies and misconduct, remains behind bars despite compelling evidence that another man confessed to the crime for which he was convicted.

The remaining members of the Holy Land Foundation Five, whose only real crime was attempting to send humanitarian aid to Palestinians, continue to languish in prison under an unjust post-9/11 prosecution.

Their continued incarceration is a reminder that American justice does not apply equally to all.

If we advocate for one, we advocate for all. These are not isolated cases - they are connected struggles that reflect the broader war on Muslim lives and dignity.

Despite his legacy as the enabler of genocide in Gaza, US President Joe Biden has quietly granted more clemency than any other modern US president.

He has already freed several Guantanamo Bay prisoners, demonstrating that political will exists for such actions.

A moral imperative

The movement for Aafia's release is a global one, with thousands around the world demanding justice.

The petition for her freedom represents not just her case but a global outcry against injustice. If Biden is willing to release Guantanamo detainees, why should Aafia - who was never even charged with terrorism - remain imprisoned?

Her continued detention is not just legally and morally questionable - it is a human rights crisis.

FMC Carswell, the prison where she is held, has been exposed as one of the most abusive institutions in the country. It is notorious for sexual abuse, medical neglect and inhumane treatment of inmates.

Clive Stafford Smith, her attorney, has uncovered extensive abuse in US prisons and already detailed the atrocities taking place there.

Despite being an established right, I was personally barred from visiting Aafia in prison as a chaplain, even though she requested it. This is a blatant violation of her religious rights and further proof that her treatment is not just about punishment; it is about erasure.

Every moment that Aafia remains imprisoned is a moment that justice is denied - not just for her but for the principles we claim to stand for

Every moment that Aafia remains imprisoned is a moment that justice is denied - not just for her but for the principles we claim to stand for.

If we accept the logic that her case is too complicated, too politically inconvenient, or too small in the grand scheme of global suffering, then we betray the very foundations of our faith and our values.

The Quran reminds us again and again that no injustice is too small to fight and that we are obligated to speak for the voiceless.

If we push now, we have the political momentum to demand clemency. If we stay silent, we reinforce the message that Muslim lives are disposable, that wrongful imprisonment is acceptable, and that justice is negotiable.

The question is not whether Aafia deserves our advocacy, it is is whether we have the moral courage to fight for her.

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Eye.

Imam Dr. Omar Suleiman is a world renowned scholar and theologically driven activist for human rights. He is the Founder and President of the Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research, and an adjunct professor of Islamic Studies in the Graduate Liberal Studies program at Southern Methodist University as well as member of the Ethics Center Advisory Board. He’s also the resident scholar of the Valley Ranch Islamic Center and Co-Chair Emeritus of Faith Forward Dallas at Thanks-Giving Square
Middle East Eye delivers independent and unrivalled coverage and analysis of the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. To learn more about republishing this content and the associated fees, please fill out this form. More about MEE can be found here.