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N-E Delhi riots: 40 organisations demand anti-CAA activist Gulfisha Fatima's release

new delhi: Over 40 organisations, including NGOs, have demanded the release of 27-year-old student Gulfisha Fatima who has been booked under the stringent UAPA for her alleged involvement in the north-east Delhi riots and lodged in Tihar jail. Fatima was arrested on April 9.

"She has been falsely charged under the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for daring to defend the Constitution and for peacefully resisting the anti-people CAA-NRC-NPR," the statement, signed by over 200 activists and lawyers, said.

"She was reportedly mentally tortured while in police custody. To add to that, her bail applications have been repeatedly rejected by the courts on technicalities," it alleged. They also demanded that the state immediately drop, what they claim, all "false" charges against Fatima.

The statement added that the signatories stand by all other young activists, students and other leaders, including Safoora Zargar, Ishrat Jahan, Devangana Kalita, Natasha Narwal, Meeran Haider, Sharjeel Imam, Sharjeel Usmani, Khalid Saifi, Akhil Gogoi, Dhairjya Konwar, Bittu Sonowal, Manash Konwar, who were arrested in the course of the anti-CAA

protests.

The statement was signed by representatives from various organisations including Forum Against Oppression of Women, All India Democratic Women's Association, Youth for Unity and Voluntary Action and Forum for Justice and Peace.

Fatima, an MBA student and anti-CAA activist associated with women's collective Pinjra Tod, was granted bail by a Delhi court on May 13 in a riots-related case.

However, she was arrested in a separate case along with activists like JCC member Meeran Haider, Zargar and suspended AAP Councillor Tahir Hussain have been booked under the UAPA, whom the Delhi Police have accused of "orchestrating the riots" albeit with little direct evidence, as per their own chargesheets submitted in court so far.

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