Danish Siddiqui's family to initiate legal action against Taliban

Pulitzer-winning Indian photojournalist Danish Siddiqui's family will initiate legal action on Tuesday to investigate his alleged killing and bring to justice those responsible, including high-level commanders and leaders of the Taliban.

38-year-old Siddiqui, who was the Chief Photographer for Reuters in India, was killed in Kandahar province's Spin Boldak district while covering the violence in Afghanistan.

"On Tuesday, 22 March 2022, Danish Siddiqui's parents Akhtar Siddiqui and Shahida Akhtar will initiate a legal action to investigate his killing and bring those responsible, including high level commanders and leaders of the Taliban, to justice," said a statement issued by the Cicero Chambers, a New Delhi-based law firm.

"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," the law firm said.

Siddiqui, a native of New Delhi, is survived by his wife Rike and two children.

Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla had condemned the killing of Indian photojournalist and also extended condolences to the bereaved family at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting.

"We condemn the killing of Indian photographer Danish Siddiqui while he was on a reporting assignment in Kandahar in Afghanistan yesterday. I extend our sincere condolences to the bereaved family," Shringla said in July.