A journalist from India who had been jailed without trial for more than two years was granted bail in a money laundering charge on Thursday.
In October 2020, Siddique Kappan was detained in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, where he had traveled to cover a high-profile case of gang rape.
He and three others were ultimately charged with conspiracy to incite violence after being accused of belonging to an Islamist extremist organisation.
Kappan maintains his innocence and claims that he traveled from his home state of Kerala to perform his journalistic obligations.
In September of last year, he was released on bail in this case, but he stayed in jail for additional months due to a different money laundering charge.
“I will continue to oppose draconian legislation. After his release from jail in the city of Lucknow, he told the NDTV television network, “They kept me in jail even after I posted bail.”
These two years were really difficult, but I never felt fear.
Since the Hindu nationalist government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi entered office in 2014, India has fallen 10 places in the Reporters Without Borders press freedom index, to 150 out of 180 nations examined.
Supporters of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party frequently harass and imprison critical journalists on social media and in prison (BJP).
According to Reporters Without Borders, nine other journalists are now imprisoned in India.
»Indian journalist is released from prison after two years there«