IAMC Demands Dropping of Baseless Charges against Indian Human Rights Activist Nadeem Khan

Washington, D.C. (Dec 2, 2024) – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) unequivocally condemns the bogus police complaint and harassment of Indian human rights activist Nadeem Khan, whom the Delhi Police attempted to arrest on November 30 in Bengaluru, Karnataka. The national secretary of the widely respected Association for the Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), Khan was booked and questioned in retaliation for criticizing human rights abuses under the Modi regime in a video. The Indian police statement claimed that Khan had illegally promoted enmity in the videos for, as they say, “portraying a particular community as oppressed.”

“It is absolutely ludicrous that speaking honestly about the conditions of religious minorities is considered a crime in India,” said IAMC president Mohammad Jawad. “Khan’s arrest is an attempt to silence anyone who stands up for justice and human rights.”

According to human rights watchdog People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), the Delhi police showed up at Khan’s private residence in Bangalore without a warrant, proceeding to intimidate and harass him inside the property. 

A day before the incident, Delhi police had also stormed APCR’s offices, again without providing legal justification or a warrant. Police reportedly issued threats to APCR staff while refusing to disclose the motive behind their investigation to lawyers present at the office. APCR routinely works to advocate for victims of anti-minority hate crimes and lynching cases. Khan was repeatedly targeted by Hindu nationalist groups in India for his vocal criticism of minority treatment in India.

The video recording for which Khan was booked includes speeches he made as part of an exhibition with his organization, the APCR. The exhibition celebrated the decisions of Indian Supreme Court justices who upheld civil rights and prosecuted hate crimes. 

“The police harassment of Nadeem Khan and the APCR is an unacceptable breach of India’s constitutional rights,” said IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed. “We call for the immediate cancellation of the First Information Report filed against Khan and an end to the harassment. We also call for criminal charges to be raised against the Station House Officer of the Shaheen Bagh police station for intimidation and trespassing on Khan’s private property.”