Meeran Haider

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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