SHACKLED: A Journey From Political Imprisonment To Freedom - Part 2

Before we go into the second segment of the SHACKLED interview series, I just wanted to see if you’ve gotten the book, and if so, if you’ve read it.

If you haven’t gotten the book yet, it’s available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other book retailers worldwide.

I wrote SHACKLED: A Journey From Political Imprisonment To Freedom alongside my grandpa, as it chronicles his life from being imprisoned for decades when he was six-years-old.

The book has been receiving some incredible praise from readers already.

Here’s one review from a reader:

A beautiful, spellbinding historical account of Khaled Siddiq’s life with photographs throughout the book. Adam Siddiq, the author, captured the essence, magnificence, and radiance of his grandfather, Khaled Siddiq, in this remarkable and awe-inspiring true story. It takes place in Khaled’s homeland, Afghanistan. A government takeover results in terror used as an instrument to control people, and led to the imprisonment of thousands of political prisoners for many years including the very young Khaled and his many close family members. Khaled’s life, along with his family, was about survival, sorrow, bereavement, injustice, grief, and a love that transcended broken dreams. Adam’s grandfather is the embodiment of resilience powered by patience, hope, and the gift of love bestowed upon him by family and generations of ancestors. He learned patience at a young age, and held on to hope and love while he and his family endured unimaginable hardship, deprivation, and imprisonment. He witnessed indescribable cruelty and inhumanity. This story, for me, was about surviving unending darkness through the light of love. Adam Siddiq, how fortunate you are to be a recipient of your grandfather’s legacy of love.

– Ilaann White

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I’ve recorded an interview series with my grandpa.

The SHACKLED interview series will appear here on the blog as well as my podcast and on YouTube.

Each day of the series will feature a question I ask my grandpa.

Here’s today’s episode.

Khaled: Actually, we have before the killing of my uncle, Ghulam Nabi Khan, a very nice life in our house…in the family. It was a great, great house and we are all the family living over there.

Adam: How many people?

Khaled: About 45…50…with all the workers too. In the outside, there were workers living there. In the outside were workers, my uncles and father’s families inside. I didn’t remember my father because I was very young, two years old I think when he left for Germany. But my uncle I remember him. After the execution of my uncle, everything was cut from our lives. Nobody could come to visit us. Before, always people were visiting every day. Me, my siblings and cousins would go to school…elementary school and high school. We couldn’t go out and nobody could come in. About 7-10 soldiers came from the Arg (Royal Citadel) and came to live with us to keep us under constant surveillance. After one year, the assassination of Nadir Shah happened and we were all sent to Sarai Badam (prison). It was very stinky there.

Adam: Stinky?

Khaled: Yea, stinky. From the great house with a great garden to this stinky place. In Sarai Badam, the entire backyard was about the size of this living room. For more than 50 people, it was very difficult to live here. But we were very happy after a while when we got very busy with learning and playing games with each other. After some years, my oldest brother and oldest cousins were taken to Dehmazang (adult prison) when they were 13 years old. A year after that, we went to Sarai Ali Khan (prison) and I was there for 4 years before me and two of my cousins were also sent to adult prison around age 13-14. One cousin was the son of Nayeb-Salar Janbaz Khan and he went to the Arg prison to be with him. My cousin and me went to Dehmazang and were in the same cell as my older brothers.

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