Six Years Awaiting Trial: Khalid Held Under India's Anti-Terror Law

Umar Khalid, a JNU-educated activist and government critic, has spent six years in pre-trial custody since his September 2020 arrest for alleged involvement in India's February 2020 Delhi riots. Charged under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act—India's counter-terrorism statute—Khalid has been denied bail repeatedly. The UAPA reverses the burden of proof at bail stage, requiring the accused to demonstrate innocence. The trial remains incomplete. Khalid's case exemplifies how terrorism statutes can function as mechanisms for extended detention without conviction.