Human rights lawyer Clive Stafford Smith revealed that Dr Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani neuroscientist imprisoned in the United States for over a decade, has reportedly been sexually assaulted at least twice during her incarceration.

Smith, who represents Dr Aafia, shared that his client informed him about these assaults during a meeting. He also mentioned that the Pakistani government is aware of these instances. A report prepared by Aisha Farooqui, Pakistan’s former consul general in Houston in 2018, highlighted the physical and sexual abuse Dr Aafia faced during her detention, recommending diplomatic efforts to repatriate her.

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Smith disclosed that a sexual assault complaint had been filed on Dr Aafia’s behalf, adding that she had also experienced sexual assault at Bagram jail in Afghanistan as an interrogation tactic. Dr Fowzia Siddiqui, Dr Aafia’s sister, currently in the U.S. to meet her imprisoned sibling, confirmed a four-hour meeting “from a distance” and expressed concern about her sister’s health. Dr Fowzia revealed that her sister claimed to receive better treatment two days before scheduled meetings. Despite expectations, she was not allowed to meet her sister in person, and the possibility of another meeting depends on the consul general’s persuasion.

Earlier this year, after 20 years, the sisters met when Dr Fowzia visited Dr Aafia in a prison hospital in Fort Worth, Texas. Dr Fowzia shared details of her sister’s deteriorating condition, stating she couldn’t recognize her during their first meeting. Dr Aafia Siddiqui, a U.S.-educated scientist, was sentenced to 86 years in 2010 for attempted murder and assault during an interview with U.S. authorities in Afghanistan. Despite suspicions of Al-Qaeda links, she was never convicted of such charges. Dr Aafia disappeared in 2003 with her three children and was later arrested in Afghanistan in 2008.