Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, the Pakistani neuroscientist, who studied at institutions including Brandeis University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is serving an 86-year sentence at the Federal Medical Center (FMC) Carswell in Fort Worth, Texas, has filed a federal lawsuit accusing US prison officials of severe human rights abuses.
The 61-page complaint, lodged in the US District Court for the Northern District of Texas, claims Siddiqui has faced ongoing sexual assault, physical abuse, denial of medical care, and religious discrimination during her imprisonment since 2010.
The lawsuit names the US government, the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), and several prison officials, detailing numerous incidents of mistreatment.
Siddiqui alleges that prison guards, including male officers, subjected her to repeated sexual assault under the guise of routine searches.
She further accuses prison staff of retaliating against her for reporting the abuse, including an incident in which she was allegedly doused with a burning acidic substance.
A significant portion of the lawsuit highlights violations of Siddiqui’s religious rights. Despite being a devout Muslim, Siddiqui has been denied access to an Imam for spiritual guidance, and her requests for religious items and participation in Friday prayers have been repeatedly blocked.
The lawsuit details how male officers have observed her during private moments, including when she was forced to strip, further infringing upon her religious freedoms.
Additionally, the complaint addresses the lack of adequate medical care, noting that Siddiqui has suffered from physical ailments, including hearing loss and dental issues, as a result of prior alleged torture in US custody.
Her attorneys argue that the failure to provide proper care for Siddiqui’s documented PTSD and physical injuries violates her constitutional rights under the Eighth Amendment, which prohibits cruel and unusual punishment.
The case is framed within a broader context of systemic issues at FMC Carswell, where previous reports and lawsuits have pointed to widespread abuse of female inmates.
A 2022 investigation by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram revealed numerous cases of sexual misconduct by prison staff, many of which were either covered up or inadequately addressed.
Dr. Siddiqui’s legal team, which includes attorneys Naim Haroon Sakhia, Maria Kari, and Clive Stafford Smith, is seeking a jury trial and demanding an independent investigation into the allegations.
Earlier in 2022, in a lawsuit against the federal Bureau of Prisons, Siddiqui’s lawyers had said that another inmate had “smashed a coffee mug filled with scaling hot liquid” into her face.
When Siddiqui curled herself into a fetal position, the other woman began to punch and kick her, leaving her with injuries so severe that she needed to be taken by wheelchair to the prison’s medical unit..
Siddiqui was left with burns around her eyes and a three-inch scar near her left eye, the lawsuit says. She also suffered bruises on her arms and legs and an injury to her cheek.
They have been calling for immediate action to protect Siddiqui from further harm, improve her access to religious counsel, and ensure she receives adequate medical care.
The case has drawn significant international attention, with human rights activists and supporters calling for justice for Siddiqui and other female inmates subjected to similar abuse.
The Pakistani government has also repeatedly called for her release and repatriation, highlighting concerns about the treatment she has received in US custody.
Attorney Naim Haroon Sakhia commented on the lawsuit, stating, “Dr. Siddiqui has endured unimaginable suffering, and this case is a glaring example of the severe issues plaguing the US prison system.”
Maria Kari emphasised that the lawsuit seeks justice not just for Siddiqui, but for other women who have suffered in silence.
The US Bureau of Prisons has yet to respond to the lawsuit, but the case is likely to have far-reaching implications for prison reform and the treatment of detainees, particularly women, in US facilities.
This legal action underscores ongoing concerns over the treatment of foreign nationals in US prisons and has the potential to spark further scrutiny of the country’s human rights practices.
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