New Delhi: The family of slain Pulitzer-winning photojournalist Danish Siddiqui has lodged a complaint with the International Criminal Court (ICC) to probe his killing and to bring to book those responsible, including high-level commanders and leaders of the Taliban, their lawyer Avi Singh said Tuesday. Danish Siddiqui, 38, was on assignment in Afghanistan when he was killed July 16 last year. The journalist was covering clashes between Afghan troops and the Taliban in Spin Boldak district of Kandahar city.
Singh addressed a press conference here Tuesday. The lawyer said the formal complaint has been filed against Taliban commanders, including Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, Supreme Commander of the Taliban; Mullah Hassan Akhund, Head of the Taliban Leadership Council; Mawlawi Muhammad Yaqoob Mujahid, Minister of Defence, Taliban; Gul Agha Sherzai, Governor of the Kandahar Province; Zabbihullah Mujahid, Taliban spokesperson; and Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Head of Taliban’s Political Office in Qatar. The complaint has also been filed against local commanders as well as perpetrators.
Also read: Danish Siddiqui was murdered by Taliban in cold blood: Report
Singh said they will also be seeking help from the Indian government in the matter.
“We have just filed before the International Criminal Court a complaint with regard to the condition of war crimes and crimes against humanity on and about July 16 in the context of Pulitzer prize winning photojournalist Danish Siddiqui’s murder,” Singh said.
The lawyer said the complaint has been filed on behalf of Siddiqui’s parents – Akhtar Siddiqui and Shahida Akhtar.
Singh said the journalist was attacked by the Red Unit of the Taliban. He said Danish’s body was mutilated, including being run over by a heavy vehicle in public. The body revealed marks of brutal torture and 12 bullets’ entry and exit points.
“The Taliban targetted and killed Siddiqui 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 Siddiqui’s murder. As the Taliban strives for international legitimacy, it must face accountability for its past actions,” Singh stated.
Singh further said there are sufficient independent sources on what happened July 16 after the journalist was injured in the attack.
“Siddiqui was taken to a mosque for medical treatment. Despite the mosque being historically an international customary place of refuge, it was attacked by the Taliban. Siddiqui had very clear identification that he was press. He had his passport on him and he was not a combatant,” Singh said.
“Siddiqui was then illegally detained, by all independent accounts, he was tortured thereafter. In fact, his bullet-proof jacket was intact when his body was received by the family,” Singh added.
Siddiqui’s brother Omar said the perpetrators must be brought to justice. “It has been quite painful with what happened with Danish and we have not totally come out of this. I know it is a very long journey which we are taking, but it is a moral obligation and our responsibility to pursue what happened with him, and the perpetrators should be brought to justice,” he said.