India's top court denies bail to 2 Muslim activists after 5 years in jail without trial
NBC News••world
Key Points:
- India’s Supreme Court denied bail to Muslim student activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, who have spent five years in detention without trial over their alleged role in the 2020 Delhi riots linked to protests against a controversial citizenship law.
- The court distinguished Khalid and Imam from other accused, citing their “central role in the conspiracy” and ruled that trial delays were insufficient grounds for bail.
- The activists were arrested under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, which critics say is increasingly used by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government to suppress political dissent and detain activists for extended periods without trial.
- Prosecutors claim Khalid and Imam incited violence deliberately to damage India’s image, while their lawyers
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