Will initiate legal action against Taliban: Danish Siddiqui’s parents

In a press note issued on Monday, the parents of slain photojournalist Danish Siddiqui said they will initiate legal action for an investigation into his killing and to bring to book those responsible, including high-level commanders and leaders of the Taliban.

The 38-year-old Pulitzer awardee was on assignment in Afghanistan when he was killed in July last year. He was covering clashes between Afghan troops and the Taliban in the Spin Boldak district.

Akhtar Siddiqui and Shahida Akhtar said they will initiate legal action to investigate his killing and bring to justice those responsible. They said that their son “was illegally detained, tortured and killed by the Taliban, and his body was mutilated”.

“These acts and this killing constitutes not only a murder, but a crime against humanity and a war crime. This was not an isolated incident. The Taliban’s military code of conduct, published as the Layha, has a policy of attacking civilians, including journalists. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan documented over 70,000 civilian casualties attributed to the Taliban.”

Though the statement did not say what kind of legal action would be sought, it is understood that Siddiqui's family will be moving the International Criminal Court against the Taliban. It said the "salient features" of the complaint will be read out at an online press conference on Tuesday.