Basic HTML Version
15
15
Afghanistan. The official charges against Dr. Aafia were that she assaulted U.S.
soldiers in Ghazni, Afghanistan, with one of the servicemen’s own rifles, while
she was in their custody, waiting to be interrogated by them. No US personnel
were hurt but Dr. Aafia was shot and suffered serious injuries including brain
damage. Dr Aafia categorically denies these charges.
There were NO terrorism charges against Dr. Aafia.
According to several legal observers, the trial of Dr. Aafia was littered with
many inconsistencies and defects, chief among them being many rulings
by the judge that strongly favored the prosecution and prejudiced the case
against the defense. These ranged from allowing much hearsay evidence
and jury instructions that favored the prosecution. In addition, Dr. Aafia was
not represented by lawyers of her choosing and faced constant innuendos of
terrorism when she was not charged with any such offense.
As a result of Judge Richard Berman’s framing of the case in a negative light,
Dr Aafia was convicted despite ALL physical and forensic evidence that showed
that she could not have committed the acts she was charged with.
On September 23, 2010, Dr. Aafia was sentenced to 86 years in prison by Judge
Richard Berman who overruled the jury’s determination that there was any pre-
meditation. The judge also added enhancements that were not part of either the
charges against Dr. Aafia nor part of the conviction.
After her sentencing, Dr. Aafia aasked that people not take any revenge or get
emotional. She asked that those who have wronged her be forgiven as she
forgave Judge Berman.
Dr. Aafia remains imprisoned, now at the notorious Federal Medical Center
(FMC) in Carswell, Fort Worth, Texas where she is kept in the Special housing
unit (SHU) which is the most severe confinement category. She is still not
allowed communication with anyone she trusts, including family members.
Dr. Aafia’s Children:
Dr. Aafia’s oldest son, Ahmed, who is a U.S. citizen by birth, was found in
Ghazni, Afghanistan after thinking he was an orphan and, in late 2008, was
reunited with Dr. Aafia’s sister in Karachi, Pakistan.