Danish Siddiqui Foundation Urges India to Address Photojournalist’s Killing with Taliban

The Danish Siddiqui Foundation has made an urgent appeal to the Indian government. They are requesting that India raise the critical issue of the killing of Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Danish Siddiqui with the visiting Taliban leadership. The foundation seeks justice for Siddiqui through international legal mechanisms.

Highlighting the presence of Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, in India, the Foundation views this as a prime moment for India to engage diplomatically on the matter. In a post on LinkedIn, the Foundation stated, “As the Taliban Foreign Minister visits India, we renew our call for justice. Danish Siddiqui, an acclaimed Pulitzer Prize-winning Indian journalist, was captured, tortured, and killed in Afghanistan in 2021 while reporting from the field. We seek the assistance of the Government of India in pursuing justice through the International Criminal Court and the United Nations Human Rights Council accountability process.”

The foundation further emphasized that the visit presents a chance to remind the Taliban of its obligations under international humanitarian law and to encourage their cooperation with independent investigations into Danish Siddiqui’s death.

Danish Siddiqui, a Reuters photojournalist, tragically lost his life in July 2021 while documenting a conflict between Afghan special forces and Taliban fighters in Spin Boldak. He was posthumously honored with a Pulitzer Prize in May 2022 for his impactful coverage of the COVID-19 crisis in India.

In March 2022, Siddiqui’s parents initiated a formal complaint with the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague. The complaint targeted several high-ranking Taliban officials, including Hassan Akhund, Abdul Ghani Baradar, Muhammad Yaqoob Mujahid, Gul Agha Sherzai, Zabiullah Mujahid, along with local commanders and perpetrators involved.

Siddiqui was embedded with Afghan special forces in Spin Boldak at the time of the incident. He sustained injuries during an attack and was taken to a mosque for medical attention. Tragically, the mosque was reportedly attacked by Taliban forces, and according to numerous reports, Siddiqui was taken into custody, subjected to torture, and ultimately killed. Disturbing accounts suggest that the Taliban’s elite Red Unit may have been involved, with further reports indicating that Siddiqui’s body was mutilated and run over by a vehicle in public.