Gender: Male
Perpetrator: India
Religion or Belief: Muslim – Unspecified/Other
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Date of Detainment: November/6/2021
Current Status: Not Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment
Reason for Persecution: Religious Activity Religious Belief
Nature of Charges: Unknown
Abdullah Gautam is detained in relation to his religious belief and activity.
On November 6, 2021, authorities arrested Gautam after accusing him of being involved in a conversion racket ran by his father, Umar Gautam, and being in charge of distributing funds to new converts. Authorities arrested Gautam's father in June 2021 after accusing him and his organization of forcibly converting thousands to Islam, including students with hearing disabilities, arranging marriages for converts, and receiving funding from abroad.
Related Cases: Umar Gautam, Qazi Jahangir Qasmi
“5 lakh ‘forced’ into Islam, funds from Gulf, UK: What UP ATS found in ‘conversion racket’ probe” The Print
“Born a Hindu, Held For ‘Forcible Conversions’: Who is Umar Gautam?” The Quint
“Two Delhi men were accused of illegally converting thousands to Islam. But what is the case?” Scroll.in
“The curious case of ‘1,000 conversions’: Who is Umar Gautam?” News Laundry
“ED files money laundering case in Uttar Pradesh religious conversion racket” India Today
“UP Police's Anti-Terrorism Squad arrests two for religious conversion of deaf and dumb children” India Today
Gender: Female
Perpetrator: India
Religion or Belief: Muslim – Unspecified/Other
Health Concerns: Pregnant
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: Yes
Date of Detainment: April/10/2020
Date of Release: June/24/2020
Current Status: Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment
Reason for Persecution: Protesting Religious Freedom Conditions Religious Identity
Nature of Charges: Aid & Abetment Assault & Battery Criminal Premeditation & Conspiracy Hate Speech Illicit Financing Murder & Attempted Murder Negligence Public Disorder Terrorism Treason & Sedition Unlawful Disobedience
Safoora Zargar was detained for protesting religious freedom conditions.
On April 10, 2020, authorities arrested Zargar, a Muslim student activist and roughly three months pregnant at the time, under first information report (FIR) 48/2020 for her involvement in the Jaffrabad protest. She was charged under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including disobedience (Sec. 188 IPC), "assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty" (Sec. 353 IPC), "danger or obstruction in public way or line of navigation" (Sec. 283 IPC), rioting (Sec. 147 IPC), wrongful restraint (Sec. 341 IPC), and abetment (Sec. 109 IPC). Despite the nature of the charges, Zargar was targeted for leading peaceful protests opposing the religiously discriminatory Citizen Amendment Act (CAA).
On April 13, 2020, authorities arrested Zargar again after she was released on bail. She was charged under FIR 59/2020 with new offenses under the IPC, 1967 Arms Act, and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) after authorities accused her of inciting communal violence during the 2020 Delhi riots. 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).
Zargar was reportedly denied adequate medical care and a special diet while detained.
On June 23, 2020, the Delhi High Court granted Zargar bail due to medical complications.
On June 24, 2020, Zargar was released from jail.
On June 26, 2020, several UN experts called for the release of Zargar 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 March 2021, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention declared Zargar's detention arbitrary and in violation of international law.
On February 4, 2023, a Delhi court discharged Zargar in the December 2019 violence case.
Zargar is married.
Related Cases: Umar Khalid, Shifa ur-Rehman, Sharjeel Imam, Natasha Narwal, Meeran Haider, Khalid Saifi, Ishrat Jehan, Gulfisha Fatima, Devangana Kalita, Asif Iqbal Tanha
"Delhi court discharges Sharjeel Imam, Asif Tanha, and nine others in 2019 Jamia violence case" Scroll.in
2020 Report on International Religious Freedom: India U.S. Department of State
"Violation of Human Rights: UN Panel Slams Safoora Zargar’s Arrest" The Quint
"Opinion No. 91/2020 concerning Safoora Zargar (India)" UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention
"UN experts urge India to release protest leaders" UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
"India: End Bias in Prosecuting Delhi Violence" Human Rights Watch
"Safoora Zargar: Bail for pregnant India student blamed for Delhi riots" British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
"India Coronavirus: Pregnant student Safoora Zargar at risk in jail" British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
"Pregnant Jamia student in jail for three weeks, family says believe in judiciary" The Indian Express
USCIRF Legislation Factsheet: The Citizenship (Amendment) Act in India February 2020
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: India
Religion or Belief: Muslim – Unspecified/Other
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Date of Detainment: September/21/2021
Date of Release: May/3/2023
Current Status: Released
Religious Leader: Yes
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment
Reason for Persecution: Religious Activity Religious Belief Religious Figure & Religious Leadership Role
Nature of Charges: Conversion Criminal Premeditation & Conspiracy
Kaleem Siddiqui was detained in relation to his religious belief and activity.
On September 21, 2021, authorities arrested Siddiqui, an Islamic scholar and president of the Jamia Imaam Waliullah Trust, after he was accused of running the largest “conversion syndicate” through several organizations and schools he funded and by receiving foreign funding. He was charged under Uttar Pradesh’s Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act and other articles of the Penal Code, including conspiracy.
On April 5, 2023, the Allahabad High Court granted bail to Siddiqui.
On May 3, 2023, Siddiqui was released from detention.
"Islamic scholar Maulana Kaleem Siddiqui walks out of jail after 590 days" Maktoob Media
"Allahabd HC grants bail to Islamic scholar arrested on charges of religious conversion" Scroll.in
“5 lakh ‘forced’ into Islam, funds from Gulf, UK: What UP ATS found in ‘conversion racket’ probe” The Print
“Islamic scholar Maulana Kaleem Siddiqui arrested in UP for running 'biggest conversion syndicate'” Times of India
“Muslim scholar arrested over 'religious conversions' in India” Anadolu Agency
“Maulana Kaleem Siddiqui, one of Uttar Pradesh's prominent clerics, arrested by ATS” Hindustan Times