Umar Khalid is an Indian activist. Previously, Khalid was a research scholar at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and a leader of the Democratic Students’ Union at the university. Khalid was arrested on Sept. 13, 2020, after he became a prominent face of nationwide peaceful protests against the discriminatory Citizenship Amendment Act, a law excluding Muslims from eligibility for a fast-tracked path to Indian citizenship. Khalid’s unfounded prosecution stems solely from the exercise of his rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. As of August 2026, Khalid has been detained for more than five years and has been denied bail at least four times, including by India’s Supreme Court in January 2026. He is forbidden from applying for bail again for one year, and his trial has yet to begin.