A group of US lawmakers, including Jim McGovern and Jamie Raskinhas, sent a letter to India’s Ambassador to the United States, Vinay Kwatra, calling for a fair and timely trial for activist Umar Khalid in “accordance with international law".
The eight lawmakers flagged concerns over the “prolonged pre-trial detention of individuals charged in connection with the February 2020 violence in Delhi.”
Khalid and several others have been booked under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA), along with provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), for allegedly being the “masterminds” behind the Delhi riots, which claimed 53 lives and left over 700 people injured.
The lawmakers stated, “With respect for India's democratic institutions and its role as a key partner of the US, we request that your Government share the steps being taken to ensure that the judicial proceedings against Khalid and those of his co-accused who remain in detention comport with international standards.”
"The US and India share a long-standing strategic partnership that has historically been rooted in democratic values, constitutional governance and strong people-to-people ties,” the letter stated, adding that as the world’s largest democracies, both countries have a shared interest in safeguarding freedom, the rule of law, human rights and pluralism.
“It is in this spirit” that the lawmakers said they were expressing their concerns over Khalid’s detention.
The lawmakers said that human rights groups, legal experts and international media outlets have questioned the fairness of the investigation and judicial process in connection with Khalid’s detention.
They noted that he “has been detained without bail for five years for charges levied under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, which independent human rights experts have warned may contravene international standards of equality before the law, due process and proportionality.”
The US Representatives also said they were aware that the matter is currently before the Supreme Court of India and welcomed reports that Khalid was granted temporary bail to attend his sister’s wedding.
They further urged that Khalid be granted bail and released for the duration of the court proceedings.
Mamdani's note for Khalid
Meanwhile, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has also penned a note for Khalid, referring to his reflections on “bitterness” and the need to ensure it does not “consume one’s self".
The note was shared on X by Khalid’s partner, Banojyotsna Lahiri.
“Dear Umar, I think of your words on bitterness often, and the importance of not letting it consume one's self. It was a pleasure to meet your parents. We are all thinking of you,” read the handwritten note signed by Mamdani.
