Srinagar: A radical Kashmiri women's group
held an anti-US protest against the imprisonment and
alleged sexual assault on Pakistani scientist Aafia Siddiqui,
who is serving a prison term in an American jail.
Dukhtaran-e-Millat members led by its leader Aasiya
Andrabi raised anti-US slogans and burned an American flag to
protest against the alleged sexual abuse of the Pakistani born
scientist, who is serving 86 years prison-term in the country.
"Americans felt that Siddiqui was a threat to their
hegemonic designs because she was a Muslim scientist and that
is why they tagged her as a member of al Qaeda," Andrabi told
reporters here.
"Charges against Aafia were fabricated...She has been
sexually assaulted and is now pregnant. We cannot tolerate
this," she said.
Aafia, a Pakistani woman neuro-scientist was convicted of
trying to kill American soldiers in Afghanistan and was
sentenced to 86-year in prison by an American court last year.
Recent media reports have quoted Aafia's sister as saying
that she has "contracted cancer" and allegedly became pregnant
as a result of sexual abuse during her confinement in the
American prison.
Andrabi said if Aafia cannot be released, she should at
least be transferred to a Pakistani jail.
PTI
First Published: Friday, January 27, 2012, 22:05