Washington, D.C. (October 19, 2023) – At a Congressional briefing hosted by several civil rights groups, on the issue of the wrongful incarceration of Indian Muslim activist Umar Khalid, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Commissioner Eric Ueland called Khalid a “staunch defender of religious minorities” who “peacefully protested… discriminatory legislation.”
Ueland demanded that the United States take seriously the extensive reports of India’s use of draconian anti-terrorism laws to silence activists from minority faith backgrounds. He further called on the State Department to designate India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for egregious violations of religious freedoms.
This special briefing was co-sponsored by 18 American civil rights organizations including the Indian American Muslim Council, Genocide Watch, World Without Genocide, Hindus for Human Rights, International Christian Concern, Jubilee Campaign, 21Wilberforce, Dalit Solidarity Forum, New York State Council of Churches, Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America, India Civil Watch International, Center for Pluralism, International Commission for Dalit Rights, American Muslim Institution, Students Against Hindutva Ideology, International Society for Peace and Justice, The Humanism Project and Association of Indian Muslims of America.
“We strongly urge policy recommendations that take these abuses seriously, especially the importance of the United States in its designation of India as a CPC in the coming months, and not let India off the hook from the consequences of a CPC designation with some sort of scummy waiver,” said Ueland.
Over three years ago, on September 13, 2020, Umar Khalid was charged with terrorism and arrested under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) after Indian authorities falsely accused him of inciting communal violence following a speech he delivered during nationwide protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 2019. The CAA has been widely criticized by Indian jurists and activists alike as a law that discriminates on the basis of religion (read Islam) and thereby excludes them from being able to receive fast-tracked Indian citizenship.
In his speech during widespread protests at the time (2019-2020), Khalid had called for nonviolent resistance against the far-right government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party BJP.
Also speaking at the briefing organised in the country’s capital was Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas, the father of Umar Khalid, who stated that he was not only speaking to represent the case of his son, but to represent the cases of all India’s political prisoners.
“Those who are languishing in jail – what was their crime?” Ilyas asked. “They have spoken against a discriminatory law. [For this,] they have been charged with sedition, they have been charged with terrorism, and they are languishing in jail for the last three years under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.”
He added, “People must know what is prevailing in the country. India is the largest democracy in the world. But we are afraid of whether it will remain as a democracy or not after the 2024 election. If this government comes back, people feel that the democracy of the country will be lost.”
Indian journalist Niranjan Takle, also quoted Umar Khalid’s speech to anti-CAA protestors, saying, “If they spread hate, we will respond with love. If they thrash us with sticks, we will keep holding our national tricolor flag high.”
“What is anti-national in this speech?” he added. “What is it that is provoking violence? But based on this speech, frivolous charges were raised against [Khalid], and he has been incarcerated in jail for the last 37 months… and the Supreme Court of India is not ready to even hear the bail petitions.”
Related:
Umar Khalid’s Battle against the UAPA Charges to Continue
Umar Khalid bail plea: Prosecution concludes arguments before Delhi HC