‘Grave concern’: US lawmakers urge Indian Ambassador to grant bail for Umar Khalid

New Delhi: A group of eight prominent U.S. lawmakers has addressed a formal letter to India’s Ambassador to the United States, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, expressing "grave concern" over the continued incarceration of activist Umar Khalid. The appeal, sent in late December 2025 and reported this week, calls for the Indian government to grant Khalid bail and ensure a "fair and timely trial."

Umar Khalid, a former student leader from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), has remained in pre-trial detention for over five years following his arrest in September 2020. He was charged under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in connection with an alleged "larger conspiracy" behind the 2020 Delhi riots.

Lawmakers Question UAPA Standards

The letter was spearheaded by Representatives Jim McGovern and Jamie Raskin, and co-signed by Senators Chris Van Hollen and Peter Welch, alongside Representatives Pramila Jayapal, Jan Schakowsky, Rashida Tlaib, and Lloyd Doggett.

While the signatories emphasised their "respect for India's democratic institutions," they questioned how Khalid’s prolonged detention without the commencement of a trial aligns with international legal standards. The lawmakers noted that such a lengthy period of incarceration before any judicial determination of guilt is "punitive in and of itself."

"Earlier this month, I met with the parents of Umar Khalid," Representative McGovern stated in a social media post accompanying the letter. "I am leading colleagues in urging bail and a timely trial in line with international law."

Growing International Pressure

The congressional intervention comes amid a wave of renewed international attention on the case. On January 1, 2026, the newly sworn-in Mayor of New York City, Zohran Mamdani, also expressed solidarity with Khalid. In a handwritten note shared on social media, Mamdani wrote to Khalid, "We are all thinking of you," and reflected on the "importance of not letting bitterness consume one's self."

Human rights organisations, including Amnesty International and the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), have long criticised the repeated denial of Khalid's bail pleas. They argue that the evidence against him is "spurious" and primarily based on his exercise of free speech during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

Background of the Case

Khalid was arrested on September 13, 2020. While he has been acquitted in some minor cases related to the riots, he remains in Tihar Jail due to the "conspiracy" case under UAPA. Under this law, the burden of proof for bail is significantly higher, often leading to years of detention before a trial begins.

Despite numerous bail applications at the trial court, High Court, and Supreme Court levels, Khalid has only been granted brief interim releases for family reasons, most recently in December 2025 to attend his sister’s wedding.

The Indian government and the Delhi Police have consistently maintained that Khalid played a central role in orchestrating the violence that left 53 people dead. They contend that the UAPA charges are justified by the scale of the alleged conspiracy.