India denies bail to long-held student activists without trial
Authorities accused them of conspiring to provoke the deadly clashes, though both men deny the charges. They were held under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), which severely limits the possibility of bail.
While Khalid and Imam were denied relief, the court granted bail to five other activists arrested in the same case: Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Mohd Samir Khan, Shadab Ahmed, and Shifa ur Rehman. The two-judge bench emphasized that each accused must be considered individually, noting differences in culpability between Khalid and Imam and the others. The court ruled that Khalid and Imam could reapply for bail only after one year.
Khalid, 37, earned a PhD from Jawaharlal Nehru University in 2019, while Imam, also 37, was a doctoral scholar there at the time of his arrest. Both have been repeatedly denied bail over the years, with Khalid’s requests rejected at least five times. He was granted short releases in 2024 and 2025 to attend family weddings, while Imam’s bail pleas had been denied at least twice.
The case has drawn significant national and international attention. In 2022, a report by a former Supreme Court judge, three retired high court judges, and a former federal home secretary found no evidence supporting terrorism charges against the activists. Last week, a group of US lawmakers wrote to India’s ambassador in Washington expressing concern over the prolonged pre-trial detention of Khalid and Imam.
The five activists granted bail include 32-year-old Fatima, a Delhi University business graduate, and four human rights activists who had protested against the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act. Khalid and Imam, along with the others, had petitioned the Supreme Court in September 2025 after being denied bail by the Delhi High Court, citing their long pre-trial incarceration without evidence as “punishment without trial.”
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