India’s Supreme Court on Monday denied bail to Muslim student activist Umar Khalid, who has been in detention for over five years. Khalid faces charges of conspiracy linked to deadly riots in Delhi.
The 38-year-old was arrested in September 2020 under anti-terrorism laws. He has largely remained in custody, aside from brief permissions to attend family weddings. Critics argue his prolonged detention highlights discrimination against India’s Muslim minority, numbering over 200 million.
The Supreme Court dismissed Khalid’s appeal for bail, stating that “prolonged incarceration” alone is not sufficient grounds for release. Bail was also denied to another Muslim student activist, Sharjeel Imam, in the same case. However, five other defendants in the case were granted bail.
Khalid, a former student of Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi, is charged with rioting with a deadly weapon, attempted murder, sedition, and inciting enmity between religious groups. Police also accused him of delivering “provocative speeches” before the riots. Khalid denies all charges.
The February 2020 Delhi riots, which left 53 people dead, were mostly Muslims, though several Hindus were also killed. Khalid’s case has drawn significant attention from human rights groups. In September, Amnesty International and six other organizations called for his release, highlighting the “derailment of justice” and citing violations of international human rights principles.
Khalid previously described his detention in an open letter, stating, “We can be kept in jail for years, without those framing us needing to prove anything.” His partner, Banojyotsna Lahiri, added that Khalid “became the victim of the injustice that he always fought against.”
His arrest came months after nationwide protests against the 2019 Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which grants citizenship to persecuted minorities from certain neighboring countries but excludes Muslims.
The denial of bail for the Muslim student activist continues to fuel debate over religious discrimination, legal fairness, and the rights of students involved in political activism in India.
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