Ayesha Siddiqah

Occupation:

Country Expert on Afghanistan — Lawyer and Country Conditions Analyst

Summary

Lawyer and legal researcher with over six years of experience in legal practice, paralegal support and legal research across several jurisdictions, including the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, the United Arab Emirates, Canada and Australia. Holds an LLM and an LLB. Country conditions research focuses on Afghanistan: the human rights situation under Taliban governance, the treatment of women and girls, ethnic and religious minorities, political opponents, former government officials, journalists and human rights defenders, and the conditions facing people returned to the country. Instructed by legal practitioners to prepare country-context analysis for asylum and international protection proceedings.

Countries of Expertise

Afghanistan.

Details of Country Expertise

Analysis of the dismantling of civil rights, institutional governance and legal protection since the Taliban's return to power in August 2021. The formal constitutional framework that previously governed individual rights has been replaced by religious decrees enforced through a reconstituted judiciary, religious police and security apparatus. The practical effect for a case is that legal recourse against persecution by the state is unavailable for most of the population, which bears directly on both internal relocation and sufficiency of protection.

Women and girls. The prohibition on secondary and higher education, restrictions on freedom of movement, employment and public life, and the enforcement of those measures through violence and detention.

Ethnic and religious minorities. The position of Hazaras, Tajiks and Uzbeks, and the treatment of religious minorities and converts.

Association with the former government. Former officials, members of the security forces, and people who worked with international organisations, including the treatment of family members.

Journalists, civil society and human rights defenders. Surveillance, detention and the reach of the authorities outside Kabul.

LGBTQ+ people. Criminalisation and social persecution, and the absence of any route to protection.

Returnees. Screening on arrival and the risk profile of those returned from abroad, including from neighbouring countries and from Europe.

Experience

Country conditions research and legal analysis, Afghanistan, The Human Rights Experts. Country-context analysis for asylum and international protection proceedings, drawing on legal research methodology and monitoring of human rights and political developments.

Legal consultant and remote paralegal for law firms in several jurisdictions. Drafting of pleadings, motions, contracts and correspondence, legal research for litigation and transactional matters, case management and deadline control.

Legal assistant, Sanaullah Law Associates, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Legal research, trial preparation, document drafting and court filing.

Education

LLM (Master of Laws). LLB (Bachelor of Laws).

Languages

English (fluent).