Indian Court Denies Bail to Muslim Activists, Cites 'Conspiracy'
The activists – Gulfisha Fatima, Devangana Kalita, and Natasha Narwal – have been imprisoned since 2020 under the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The court's decision, as DW notes, relies on charges of orchestrating the 2020 Delhi riots, a convenient narrative for a state increasingly hostile to its Muslim minority. One might wonder how 'organizing a sit-in protest'
mysteriously transforms into 'conspiracy' and 'terrorism' without ever actually proving violence. This fits a larger global trend. Regimes across the world are refining the art of using nebulous 'national security' laws to criminalize opposition, particularly from marginalized communities. In India, under Modi's BJP, the UAPA is increasingly deployed against human rights defenders, journalists,
and student leaders, disproportionately targeting Muslims. (Sound familiar, Palestine supporters?) The 'rule of law' becomes a tool to suppress, not protect, turning protest into prison time for those who dare question the state's narrative.