JULY 2009
Fri 31 Federal Judge Berman declares Aafia competent to stand trial in October. Report in both the New York Times and MIT magazine
here
AUGUST 2009
Tues 4 Dr Aafiya Siddiqui's sister files Rs500 million defamation lawsuit against former brother-in-law who allegedly sought to gain media sympathy on with false information. Read: The News (Pakistan Daily)
here
Thurs 13 Dr Aafia’s ex-husband is granted interim bail while his hearing adjourned until August 17. Read in Dawn
here
SEPTEMBER 2009
Wed - A US judge agrees to accept lawyers’ panel to defend Pakistani neuroscientist Aafia Siddiqui despite her vociferous and strong objections saying she wanted to represent herself. Story in Dawn
here
Sat 5 Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani says Saturday his government has approved $2 million to hire a three-member lawyers panel in consultation of Dr Aafia Siddiqui’s elder brother, Muhammad Ali Siddiqui The Nation / Despardes here
Mon 21 Aafia's brother recounts events in family's life, especially Aafia's crises, noting recent agreement by Pakistan government to pay for panel of American lawyers. Read in Ummahs Best (NOTE: this is a loving account by family member rather than meant as a legal treatise) UMMA's BEST
here
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Wed 23 Court Appearance scheduled in Manhattan US - see Muslim Matters
OCTOBER 2009
Tues 13 Court Appearance Scheduled in Manhattan US - announcement not widely nor easily available
RELATED yet not part of Chronology:
An example of history timelines and media reporting about Dr. Aafia which do nothing but muddy the water about her actual guilt and certainly do nothing to exonerate the way she's been treated by Pakistani and US court and prison system early on at least:
Newsweek implies (unprofessionally) assumed connection between Aafia and Al Qaeda and lists her with other persons with very differing cases who allegedly claimed many contradictory "facts" about Aafia which "facts" were attained under waterboarding at least many times over, ie KSM and others.
September 6 Sunday Two of the three new lawyers engaged by Pakistani government to defend Dr Aafia Siddiqui made plans travel to Afghanistan and Pakistan to gather facts. The new team of lawyers — Charles Swift, Linda Moreno and Elaine Sharp — were approved by US Judge Richard Berman at a hearing in the US District Court in New York on Wednesday.
Attorney Elaine Sharp made plans to travel to Pakistan to meet with Dr Aafia Siddiqui’s family members and others who could shed light on Dr Siddiqui’s life. Lawyer Charles Swift plans travel to Kabul where Dr Siddiqui allegedly fired upon US soldiers while she was in their custody in July 2008. The new defense team expresses confidence that the Pakistani neuroscientist has harmed no one and is innocent of the charges leveled against her.
KEY: Lawyer Moreno speaks for media fairness: ‘We ask those who report this case and those fair Americans who will eventually sit in judgment of her, to remember that this is a criminal case, and that Dr Siddiqui begins her journey AS AN INNOCENT PERSON under the laws of our country - Read in The Nation
here
September 6-8? Claim made that Aafia’s Case Can Be Taken to ICJ International Court of Justice, says Lawyer,under the Pak-US Treaty of Friendship and Commerce signed in 1959, as the government has failed to secure her repatriation diplomatically, says her counsel Barrister Iqbal Jafree. SAMAA TV news International (some discussion occurs in high court about holding money or money given prematurely)
here
SAVE Following articles perhaps for a later piece? Can be easily found by search engine:
Dr. Aafia Denies Shooting at US Officials
Dr. Aafia Siddiqi, firmly rejected the allegations that she tried to kill American soldiers and FBI agents in Afghanistan .
Aafia Siddiqui Says She's Not Against America
A U.S.-trained Pakistani scientist accused of helping al-Qaida has repeatedly interrupted her competency hearing to declare her innocence and insist she's not anti-American.
Tues July 7, 2009 About Torture: Banning torture in U.S. courts (which could include the prep for women coming into court - the invasive body searches - surely there's a better way?) This issue is one of the bottom lines in this case:
here
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