Background
Amir Hamza is the president of CFI, the student wing of the Popular Front of India (PFI). The Hindu nationalist government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi banned PFI, its student wings, and other affiliates, alleging the group of unlawful “terror activities,” disturbing law and order, and posing a threat to the sovereignty of India. Hundreds of its members were arrested in a nationwide crackdown in September 2022.
Hamza, 27, is an Assam-based local activist who was at the forefront of the protests against the discriminatory Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in 2019.
Fearing arrest, the activist went underground after the ban on PFI in September 2022. Later, he was arrested under the draconian anti-terror law, the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
The state authorities accused him of engaging in “anti-terror” activities and sharing “close links” with PFI. The police searched his residence in Assam and seized what it calls “incriminating” items, including posters against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, the governing Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP), the Rashtriya Swayam Sevak (RSS), and posters in support of protests against the ban on Hijab in Karnataka. Hamza was arrested in Bengaluru (Karnataka), where he was hiding with a family from Tripura. Police brought him to Guwahati (Assam) in November 2022.
Charges and Allegations
Section 120B (Criminal Conspiracy), Section 124A (Sedition), Section 153A (Promoting enmity between different groups on the grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to the maintenance of harmony), Section 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty), and Section 18 of the UAPA.
Current Status
Not released yet.