Safoora gets permission to talk to family on phone

New Delhi: Safoora Zargar, a research scholar from Jamia Millia Islamia university presently lodged in Tihar jail in New Delhi has got the permission to speak to her family on telephone twice a week and also with her lawyer. Safoora, who is 14 weeks pregnant was arrested on April 10 and subsequently charged under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 2019 (UAPA), by the Delhi Police. Police has accused Safoora of being one of the key conspirators in the north-east Delhi violence, in which at least 53 persons were reportedly killed.

"We moved an application to seek permission for Safoora to talk to her family on video conferencing. However, that could not happen though she has been given permission to have telephonic conversation with her family atleast twice a week," said a lawyer assisting Safoora in legal work.

Safoora, who is in judicial custody right now is sharing the cell with another woman in Tihar jail.

"We fear that the anxiety and stress Safoora is undergoing might have a serious effect on the health of the baby. Her medical condition is not satisfactory. Why should an unborn baby suffer the effects of trauma the mother is undergoing right now?" he said.

The Tihar jail administration maintained that Safoora is given the care she needs in her condition. Safoora is one among the two pregnant women lodged in Tihar jail presently.

"Dieticians plan the diet chart of pregnant women in the jail and they are provided food accordingly," said Tihar jail PRO Rajkumar.

Safoora, originally from Kashmir is an anti-CAA activist and media coordinator of Jamia Millia Coordination committee and was at the forefront of Jamia Millia protests.

At a time when court has ordered to decongest jails due to Corona pandemic, the arrest of the student activists have raised eyebrows with many believing that this is an attempt to silence the voices of dissent.