Free Delhi 18 – Solidarity Campaign by Global Actors

On India’s Republic Day, Global Actors call attention to the persecution under an anti-Terror Law of Students and Activists for Challenging the Discriminatory Indian Citizenship Amendment Act 2019.

These are the 18 brave students and activists who are among the leaders of the nationwide peaceful peoples’ protest movement that arose at the end of 2019, against discriminatory changes made to India’s citizenship law in December 2019. The protests highlighted the loss of equal citizenship and the fears of Indian Muslims and other vulnerable sections.

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.

Here is a video statement by David Shoebridge, a member of the Australian Parliament: “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. These 18 are among the leaders of the nationwide peaceful peoples’ protest movement that captivated India and the world from December 2019 onwards, against discriminatory changes made to India’s citizenship law in December 2019. For standing up fearlessly and collectively against the government’s aim to rewrite the sanctity and inclusivity of citizenship to India, these 18 have been charged as instigating the mass violence that broke out in India’s capital city, Delhi, in February 2020.”