Breaking News: NY Judge Orders Doctor for Afia Siddiqui

The Associated Press reported that a New York judge Monday ordered the federal government to provide a doctor for Dr. Afia Siddiqui, a Pakistani woman charged with trying to kill U.S. employees in an Afghanistan gunfight, and who rights organizations and her family allege was secretly taken into U.S. custody about five years ago. In her bail hearing today, Siddiqui’s lawyers said “her health is worsening from wounds suffered in the encounter last month.” Defense lawyer Elizabeth Fink said Siddiqui may have lost a kidney and suffered brain damage.” Reuters cited Fink, who asserted during today’s hearing, “She has been here, judge, for one week and she has not seen a doctor, even though they (U.S. authorities) know she has been shot.” A “frail-looking” Siddiqui reportedly sat in a wheelchair during the proceeding, while about 20 protesters outside the court held posters that said, “Stop U.S. Torture, close Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib & Bagram,” accusing the United States of secretly detaining Siddiqui.

The Reuters piece reported that U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert Pitman, despite calling for Siddiqui’s immediate medical attention, “also ordered she continue to be held without bail.”

CHUP will update this post as more details are reported. For this website’s past coverage on Dr. Afia Siddiqui, click here and here.