The family members of late photojournalist Danish Siddiqui have filed a complaint against the Taliban in the International Criminal Court (ICC). The complaint mentions six Taliban leaders/high-level commanders and calls for an investigation into the killing of Danish in Spin Boldak, Afghanistan.
Pulitzer winning photojournalist Danish Siddiqui’s parents are Prof. Akhtar Siddiqui and Shahida Siddiqui approached the ICC Prosecutor to investigate the murder of their son. The complaint alleges that the murder of his son is both a war crime and a crime against humanity.
In a complaint to the International Criminal Court, Danish’s family said that last year he had gone to Afghanistan on an assignment for Reuters. Where on July 16, the attack was carried out in Spin Boldak, Afghanistan. Danish’s family said he and other Afghan commandos were taken to a nearby mosque for treatment, but were illegally detained by the Taliban. The family said in the complaint that Danish was tortured and killed by the Taliban after he was taken into custody.
Mother Shahida has said that “our beloved son Danish was murdered by the Taliban just to fulfill his journalistic duties.” At the same time, in a statement released by the family on social media, they said that they have named six officers in their complaint. The complaint names the Taliban’s supreme commander, the head of the Taliban leadership council, the chief spokesman, the Taliban’s defense minister, the governor of Kandahar province and a Taliban spokesman.
Advocate Avi Singh, representing Danish Siddiqui’s family in the International Criminal Court, said in his statement that Danish was targeted and killed by the Taliban because he was a journalist and an Indian. It is an international crime. There is a lack of law in Afghanistan and the ICC has the authority to investigate and prosecute the perpetrators of the Danish murder. Singh further said that, we have demanded an inquiry not only against the local commanders of Taliban, but also against their leadership.