US lawmakers urge India to grant bail to Umar Khalid
Eight US lawmakers have asked India to grant bail and speed up the trial for activist Umar Khalid, who's been in jail since 2020 under the UAPA law.
Their letter, sent to India's ambassador in Washington, questions why Khalid's been held so long without a verdict and urges India to follow international legal standards.
What's going on with Umar Khalid?
Khalid, a former student leader, was arrested for alleged conspiracy linked to the 2020 Delhi riots, which prosecutors say involved a broader plot to incite violence—a charge he denies.
He's been denied bail several times but was briefly released most recently to attend his sister's wedding in December 2025.
The lawmakers say keeping him locked up this long without trial goes against fair trial rights and the idea that you're innocent until proven guilty.