Extra Bio Info:

Meeran Haider was detained for his religious freedom advocacy.

On April 1, 2020, authorities arrested Haider, a Muslim student activist, after accusing him of inciting communal violence during the 2020 Delhi riots. Haider was targeted for leading peaceful protests opposing the religiously discriminatory Citizen Amendment Act (CAA). Authorities charged Haider under FIR 59/2020 with offenses under the IPC, 1967 Arms Act, and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Charges include but are not limited to rioting (Sec. 147 IPC), rioting with a deadly weapon (Sec. 148 IPC), murder (Sec. 302 IPC), attempted murder (Sec. 307 IPC), sedition (Sec. 124A IPC), "promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony" (Sec. 153A IPC), unlawful activities (Sec. 13 UAPA), terrorist acts (Sec. 16 UAPA), raising funds for terrorist acts (Sec. 17 UAPA), and conspiracy (Sec. 18 UAPA).

On June 26, 2020, several UN experts called for the release of Haider and other protestors, saying that their arrests seem "clearly designed to send a chilling message...that criticism of government policies will not be tolerated."

In January 2026, Meeran Haider was released on bail under strict conditions.

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Extra Bio Info:

Khalid Saifi is detained for his religious freedom advocacy.

In February 2020, authorities arrested Saifi, founder of the United Against Hate organization, for leading peaceful protests opposing the religiously discriminatory Citizen Amendment Act (CAA). Authorities accused him of urging violence against police near Masjid Wali Galli in Khureji Khas and charged him in first information report (FIR) 44/2020 with "murder, assaulting a public officer, and rioting" under the Indian Penal Code and the 1959 Arms Act. In March 2020, authorities charged Saifi under FIR 59/2020 with new offenses, including rioting with a deadly weapon, murder, attempted murder, sedition, "promoting enmity on grounds of religion," unlawful activities, terrorist acts, raising funds for terrorist acts, and conspiracy (Secs. 124A, 148, 153A, 302, 307 IPC; 13, 16, 17, 18 UAPA).

Indian authorities tortured Saifi while he was in police custody, resulting in fractured bones in both legs.

Extra Bio Info:

Umar Khalid is detained for his religious freedom advocacy.

In September 2020, authorities arrested Khalid, a student activist, for leading peaceful protests opposing the religiously discriminatory Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). 

Authorities accused him of inciting communal violence through speeches in February 2020, and charged him with numerous violent crimes under the Indian Penal Code, 1967 Arms Act, and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Charges included rioting with a deadly weapon, murder, attempted murder, sedition, "promoting enmity on grounds of religion," unlawful activities, terrorist acts, raising funds for terrorist acts, and conspiracy (Secs. 124A, 148, 153A, 302, 307 IPC; 13, 16, 17, 18 UAPA).