IAMC Welcomes Congressional Call for Bail and Fair Trial for Umar Khalid and Other Jailed Activists
WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 1, 2026) — The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) today welcomed a powerful letter from eight U.S. Members of Congress to the Indian Ambassador to the United States, Vinay Mohan Kwatra. The letter calls for the immediate granting of bail to Umar Khalid and other Muslim activists who have been languishing in jail for over five years on bogus and politically motivated charges related to the 2020 Delhi riots.
The letter, led by Representative James P. McGovern and signed by U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Peter Welch, along with Representatives Jamie Raskin, Pramila Jayapal, Jan Schakowsky, Rashida Tlaib, and Lloyd Doggett, highlights the shocking misuse of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) to suppress peaceful dissent and target religious minorities.
The lawmakers expressed grave concern over the prolonged pre-trial detention of student leaders and activists including Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Gulfisha Fatima, Khalid Saifi and other, noting that their continued incarceration “may be linked to their religious identity as Muslims and their exercise of protected rights”
The letter also mentioned that evidence used to charge Khalid for terrorism is dubious.
The lawmakers’ intervention comes amid growing global concern for Khalid’s case, including a written note of solidarity by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, underscoring the widening international and diaspora-led alarm over his continued detention.
“This letter from U.S. lawmakers is a significant step toward international accountability for the grave human rights violations occurring in India,” said Mohammed Jawad, President of IAMC. “Umar Khalid and his fellow activists are not terrorists; they are defenders of India’s constitutional values who have been silenced for daring to protest a discriminatory law. The fact that they have spent five years in jail without a trial is a mockery of justice and a clear indication that the Modi regime is using the legal system as a tool of religious persecution.”
“We thank Representative McGovern and his colleagues for standing up for justice and for recognizing that the crackdown on Muslim activists in India is a matter of global concern,” said Safa Ahmed, Associate Director for Media at IAMC. “Since 2014, the Indian government has systematically weaponized anti-terror laws to criminalize the Muslim community. The increase in attacks on religious minorities over the last decade is directly linked to the culture of impunity that allows activists to be jailed while perpetrators of hate and violence walk free. We urge the Indian government to heed this call and immediately release all political prisoners who have been unjustly detained.”
IAMC joins U.S. lawmakers in calling for bail and fair trials for all activists languishing in jail under bogus charges. Furthermore, IAMC reiterates its demand that the U.S. Department of State accept the recommendation of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) to designate India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC). IAMC also calls for targeted sanctions on the specific groups and leaders involved in the systematic persecution and wrongful imprisonment of activists in India.
IAMC remains committed to working with international human rights organizations and democratic leaders to ensure that the voices of the oppressed in India are heard and that the fundamental rights of all citizens, regardless of faith, are protected.
