New York:Members of the global Indian diaspora and citizens in many countries have voiced concern over the alleged persecution of 18 students and activists under an anti-terror law for challenging the Citizenship Amendment Act 2019 (CAA) and sought immediate and unconditional withdrawal of all charges against them. In a statement coinciding with the Republic Day, the wide-ranging global actors said they "believe the Delhi 18' are being targeted as reprisal for their democratic dissent against the Citizenship Amendment Act 2019."
It further said that their demand is the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of all charges, including Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), against the Delhi 18 - a reference to 18 students and activists. The Delhi 18 include Sharjeel Imam, Ishrat Jahan, Khalid Saifi, Tahir Hussain, Saleem Malik, Mohd. Saleem Khan, Meeran Haider, Shadab Ahmed, Gulfisha Fatima, Tasleem Ahmed, Shifa Ur Rehman, Athar Khan, Umar Khalid, Safoora Zargar, Md. Faizan Khan, Asif Iqbal Tanha, Natasha Narwal and Devangana Kalita. Of the 18, 13 all Muslims have been in jail for over a year as of January 2022.
"Today on India's republic day I with politicians and those concerned with human rights around the globe are raising my voice against the persecution of 18 brave students, activists who are being falsely branded as terrorists' by the Indian state, said David Shoebridge, a member of the Australian Parliament. Govind Acharya, India Country Specialist, Amnesty International described their arrest as a crackdown against free expression and called for their immediate release. Representatives of diaspora groups South Africa, Australia, Canada, USA, UK, Germany, Netherlands and New Zealand also denounced what they called unjust prosecution of the Delhi 18.