Among the eight lawmakers expressing concern are U.S. Representatives Jim McGovern and Jamie Raskin, who highlighted the “prolonged pre-trial detention of individuals connected to the February 2020 violence in Delhi,” including Khalid.
In a related note, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani penned a message for Khalid, reflecting on the notion of “bitterness” and the necessity of not allowing it to “consume oneself.”
Khalid, along with several others, has been charged under the strict anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA) and the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for allegedly being the “masterminds” behind the Delhi riots, which resulted in 53 fatalities and over 700 injuries.
Also Read: We are all thinking of you: New York City Mayor Mamdani writes a note for activist Umar Khalid
“The U.S. and India maintain a long-standing strategic partnership historically founded on democratic values, constitutional governance, and robust people-to-people relations,” the letter dated December 30, 2025, stated.
As the world’s largest democracies, both countries share a vested interest in safeguarding and promoting “freedom, the rule of law, human rights, and pluralism,” the letter emphasized. “It is in this spirit” that the lawmakers are voicing their concerns about Khalid’s detention.
The legislators noted that human rights organizations, legal experts, and global media have raised questions regarding the fairness of the investigation and legal procedures tied to Khalid’s detention.
He “has been held without bail for five years on charges filed under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, which independent human rights advocates have cautioned may violate international standards of equality before the law, due process, and proportionality.”
As a State Party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), India is obligated to ensure individuals receive a “trial within a reasonable time or to (be released)” and “to be presumed innocent until proven guilty,” the letter outlined.
Also Read: Mamdani’s note for Khalid: India won’t tolerate any interference in its internal matter, says BJP
The U.S. lawmakers additionally acknowledged that these issues are currently being reviewed by the Supreme Court of India and expressed approval that Khalid was granted temporary bail to attend his sister’s wedding.
They urged that Khalid be granted bail and released throughout the court proceedings.
“In respect of India’s democratic institutions and its pivotal role as a U.S. partner, we ask that your Government disclose the measures being taken to ensure that the judicial processes against Khalid and those of his co-defendants who remain in custody align with international standards,” the lawmakers stated in their letter, which also referenced Sharjeel Imam, Gulfisha Fatima, and Khalid Saifi, among others.
Other signatories of the letter include Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, U.S. Representatives Jan Schakowsky, Lloyd Doggett, Rashid Tlaib, and U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Peter Welch.
Sharing the letter on X, McGovern noted his meeting with Khalid’s parents earlier in December. “Representative Raskin and I are championing our colleagues to advocate for his bail & a fair, timely trial in accordance with international law,” he posted on X.
