In the case of Indian photojournalist Danish Siddiqui, who was shot by Taliban fighters in Afghanistan, his family has complained to the International Crime Court. On the complaint of the family, a complaint has also been registered in the International Criminal Court i.e. ICC to investigate the murder.
Let us tell you that on 16 July 2021, Pulitzer Prize winning photojournalist Danish Siddiqui was murdered by the Tabinites. Now Danish's family lawyer Avi Singh said on March 22 that a complaint has been lodged with the aim of taking legal action against the high-level commanders of the Taliban responsible for the murder of the journalist.
The lawyer said that on July 16 last year, Danish Siddiqui (38) was covering a war between Afghan soldiers and the Taliban in the Spin Boldak district of Kandahar city of Afghanistan when he was assassinated.
Lawyer Avi Singh told a press conference that among those against whom the complaint has been filed are Taliban supreme commander Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, Taliban leadership council chief Mullah Hassan Akhund, Taliban defense minister Maulvi Muhammad Yacoub Mujahid, Kandahar province governor Gul Agha. Sherzai, Taliban Kspokesman Zabiullah Mujahid and Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the head of the Taliban's political office in Qatar.
A complaint has also been lodged against the local commanders and the perpetrators of the murder. Singh said that he would also request the Government of India for help in this matter.
"We have filed a complaint with the International Criminal Court (ICC) in connection with the murder of Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Danish Siddiqui on July 16 last year and war crimes against humanity," he said.
The lawyer said that the complaint has been filed on behalf of Siddiqui's parents- Akhtar Siddiqui and Shahida Akhtar. Singh said the journalist was attacked by the Taliban's 'Red Unit'. He said his body was mutilated and a heavy vehicle was driven over it in public.
The lawyer said there were marks of brutal torture on the body and 12 bullets were fired at him. He said, “The Taliban targeted and killed Siddiqui because he was a journalist and an Indian. It is an international crime. Due to the lack of rule of law in Afghanistan, the ICC has the right to investigate the murder of Siddiqui and prosecute those who do so. If the Taliban wants to legitimize its regime internationally, it will have to be held accountable for its actions in the past.
Singh said Siddiqui was on assignment from Reuters on July 16 and had enough independent witnesses of what happened to him after he was injured in an attack.
Singh said, “He was taken to a mosque for treatment and that mosque is historically known internationally for sheltering. Despite this, the Taliban attacked him. Siddiqui had a clear identity that he belonged to the press. They had his passport and he was not a soldier."
He said, “Thereafter he was illegally detained and, according to all independent witnesses, he was tortured. In fact, he was wearing a bullet proof jacket when his family found his body. Siddiqui's brother Umar Siddiqui said that the killers of Danish should be brought under the purview of the law