Gender: Male

Perpetrator: India

Religion or Belief: Muslim – Unspecified/Other

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Date of Detainment: January/28/2020

Current Status: Not Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment

Reason for Persecution: Protesting Religious Freedom Conditions Religious Identity

Nature of Charges: Criminal Premeditation & Conspiracy Hate Speech Illicit Financing Murder & Attempted Murder Public Disorder Terrorism Treason & Sedition

Sharjeel Imam

Extra Bio Info:

Sharjeel Imam is detained for protesting religious freedom conditions.

On January 28, 2020, authorities arrested Imam, a Muslim student activist, after authorities accusing him of inciting communal violence through speeches made in December 2019 and January 2020 at peaceful protests opposing the religious discriminatory Citizen Amendment Act (CAA).  At the time, five different states had reportedly pressed various charges against Imam, including sedition (Sec. 124-A), “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), and several sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

On August 25, 2020, authorities charged Imam under FIR 59/2020 with new offenses under the IPC, 1967 Arms Act, and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) after authorities accused him 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).

On June 26, 2020, several UN experts called for the release of Imam 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 July 2020, it was reported that Imam tested positive for COVID-19 while in detention.

On February 4, 2023, a Delhi court discharged Imam in the December 2019 violence case. However, he remained in prison as he has yet to receive bail in other cases.

Imam has reportedly been assaulted by fellow inmates while imprisoned.

Throughout his detention, Imam has been granted bail in multiple cases; however, additional outstanding charges have prevented him from being released.

Related Cases: Umar Khalid, Shifa ur-Rehman, Natasha Narwal, Meeran Haider, Khalid Saifi, Ishrat Jehan, Gulfisha Fatima, Devangana Kalita, Safoora Zargar, Asif Iqbal Tanha

Sources: