Activist Umar Khalid: A Life Behind Bars

Quick Summary

• Umar Khalid,a former JNU student and activist,has been in Tihar Jail as September 2020 for alleged involvement in the northeast Delhi riots during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in February 2020.
• The riots resulted in 53 deaths and hundreds displaced. Khalid maintains he participated only in peaceful protests, some far from Delhi.
• Charged under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), Khalid’s multiple bail applications have been denied by several courts, including the Delhi High Court on September 3.
• previously charged with sedition for organizing a protest at JNU over Afzal Guru’s execution and engaging in Bhima Koregaon-related activism; claims of religious discrimination influenced his sociopolitical outlook.
• His partner, Banojyotsna Lahiri, expressed disbelief over his prolonged imprisonment without trial. Khalid alleges inconsistencies as people who attacked him physically are out on bail while he remains incarcerated.

Link to full article: Process as punishment | On the Umar Khalid case

Indian Opinion Analysis

The extended detention of Umar Khalid raises meaningful concerns about due process under India’s legal system when invoking stringent laws like UAPA. Denial of bail despite no trial yet could call into question whether pretrial imprisonment is becoming punitive rather than procedural-a concern echoed by precedents noted by higher courts emphasizing bail as a rule under special statutes.Khalid’s public activism reflects longstanding debates about dissent and state power, notably when addressing issues like communal discrimination or marginalized rights.Regardless of personal perspectives on his ideology or actions, prolonged incarceration without judicial resolution may set broader implications for balancing state security measures with individual freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution.

India must carefully assess such cases to avoid undermining public trust while safeguarding justice principles-the cornerstone of democracy.