Eight U.S. lawmakers pen letter in support of Umar Khalid; urge India to grant bail, fair trial ‘as per international law’

Eight lawmakers from the United States person penned a missive to Indian Ambassador Vinay Mohan Kwatra, urging India to assistance bail and a escaped proceedings “in accordance to planetary law” to Umar Khalid, who is an accused successful a larger conspiracy lawsuit related to the 2020 North East Delhi riots.

In the missive dated December 30, 2025, the U.S. lawmakers pledged enactment to the jailed pupil activistic and sought the authorities to “share the steps being taken to guarantee that the judicial proceedings against Umar Khalid and those of his co-accused who stay successful detention comport with planetary standards’.

This follows different abstracted missive from recently sworn successful Mayor of New York City Zohran Mamdani who penned a enactment remembering Mr. Khalid and his gathering with Mr. Khalid’s parents.

The missive by the U.S. lawmakers was shared by Democrat Jim McGovern, who is besides the Co-chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission. The others who had signed connected it see Democrat Jamie Raskin, Indian-origin Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, U.S. Representatives Jan Schakowsky, Lloyd Dogget, Rashid Tlaib, and U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen, and Peter Welch.

As per the letter, Mr. McGovern and others had met Umar Khalid's parents earlier successful December. “Representative Raskin and I are starring our colleagues to impulse that helium beryllium granted bail and a fair, timely proceedings successful accordance with planetary law,” helium said, sharing the signed missive successful a station connected X.

“Umar Khalid has been detained without bail for 5 years nether UAPA, which autarkic quality rights experts person warned whitethorn contravene planetary standards of equality earlier the law, owed process and proportionality...India indispensable uphold the rights of individuals to person a proceedings with tenable clip oregon to beryllium merchandise and beryllium presume guiltless until proven guilty...,” the missive reads.

Zohran Mamdani’s enactment to Umar Khalid

In his enactment Mr. Mamdani wrote: "I deliberation of your words connected bitterness often, and the value of not letting it devour one's self. It was a pleasance to conscionable your parents. We are each reasoning of you."

Shared connected societal media by Khalid’s spouse Banojyotsna, the enactment was handed implicit to Mr. Khalid’s parents erstwhile helium met them during their travel to the U.S. successful December 2025.

Mr. Khalid was precocious retired connected interim bail to be his sister’s wedding.

Delhi’s Karkardooma tribunal granted him bail from December 16 to December 29. The conditional bail included a clause that helium volition not usage societal media and volition conscionable lone his household members, relatives and friends. He has been ordered to stay astatine location oregon the venue of the wedding and different ceremonies.

Mr. Khalid was arrested successful September 2020 nether charges similar transgression conspiracy, rioting, unlawful assembly and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). His bail plea is pending earlier the Supreme Court.

With ANI inputs