206.42.72.103 at 12:21, 3 July 2021

2021-07-03T12:21:24Z

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{{Short description|Indian Student Activist}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Sharjeel Imam
| image =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1988}}<ref name="ht-29jan2020">{{Cite news|last=Swaroop|first=Vijay|title=Sharjeel Imam, a 'quiet, bright' student now in the limelight|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/a-quiet-studious-student-now-in-the-limelight/story-m9vdLWALAtHnuU0IdrHO2O.html|date=29 January 2020|publisher=[[Hindustan Times]]|access-date=21 July 2020}}</ref>
| birth_place = [[Kako, Bihar|Kako]], Jehanabad, Bihar
| nationality = Indian
| education = B.Tech and M.Tech [[Computer Science and Engineering]],<br> MA, M.Phil, PhD [[Modern History]]
| alma_mater = [[Indian Institute of Technology Bombay|IIT Bombay]] <br> [[Jawaharlal Nehru University|JNU]]
| father = Akbar Imam
| mother = Afshan Rahim<ref name="theprint-28january2020">{{Cite news|last=Khan|first=Fatima|title=Sharjeel Imam, the IIT graduate in JNU who called out Left's 'Islamophobia' |url=https://theprint.in/india/sharjeel-imam-the-iit-graduate-in-jnu-who-called-out-lefts-islamophobia/355391/|date=28 January 2020|publisher=[[ThePrint]]|access-date=22 July 2020}}</ref>
| spouse =
| family = Muzzammil Imam (brother)<ref name="ht-29jan2020"/>
}}
'''Sharjeel Imam''' (born 1988) is an Indian activist from [[Kako, Bihar|Kako]] village of [[Jehanabad district|Jehanabad]], [[Bihar]] known for his participation in the [[Citizenship Amendment Act protests|Citizenship Amendment Act Protests]].<ref name="thehindu-30jan2020">{{Cite news | title=Who is Sharjeel Imam and why is he charged with sedition?|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/who-is-sharjeel-imam-and-why-is-he-charged-with-sedition/article30691202.ece|date=30 January 2020|publisher=[[The Hindu]]|access-date=21 July 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-07-02|title=Sharjeel Imam|url=https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/profile/sharjeel-imam|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804023128/https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/profile/sharjeel-imam|archive-date=2020-08-04|access-date=2021-03-04|website=Front Line Defenders|language=en}}</ref> He had completed his B.Tech and M.Tech from [[Indian Institute of Technology Bombay|IIT-Bombay]] and joined [[Jawaharlal Nehru University]] in 2013 for completing his masters degree in Modern History and in 2015 he started Ph.D from the same university.<ref name="ht-29jan2020"/> He was charged with sedition case by five states of India<ref name="thewire-27jan2020">{{Cite news |title=Five States Have Now Filed Sedition Charges Against JNU Student Sharjeel Imam|url=https://thewire.in/rights/sharjeel-imam-sedition-charges|date=27 January 2020|publisher=[[The Wire]]|access-date=22 July 2020}}</ref> and surrendered to Delhi Police on 28 January 2020,<ref name="TLI-3February2020">{{Cite news |title=Fact Check: Sharjeel Imam Surrendered Himself To Police, Not Arrested|url=https://thelogicalindian.com/amp/fact-check/delhi-police-sharjeel-imam-sedition-19568?fbclid=IwAR1JZHSqJFlmG_ydXMTwHn8iKXW2e1t7FfmgOpcUZ1Iopcu4FuBGAtXW2MI|date=3 February 2020|publisher=[[The Logical Indian]]|access-date=16 September 2020}}</ref> who alleged that his speech promoted enmity among people that led to riots in [[Jamia Millia Islamia|Jamia Millia Islamia University]].<ref name="et-18april2020">{{Cite news |title=Sharjeel Imam chargesheeted in seditious speech case|url=https://m.economictimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/sharjeel-imam-chargesheeted-in-seditious-speech-case/articleshow/75217894.cms|date=18 April 2020|publisher=[[The Economic Times]]|access-date=21 July 2020}}</ref>

==Early life and education==
Sharjeel Imam was born in 1988 at [[Kako, Bihar|Kako]] village of [[Jehanabad district]], [[Bihar]]. His father Akbar Imam was a politician, mother Afshan Rahim is homemaker and brother Muzzammil Imam is a social activist.<ref name="ht-29jan2020"/> Akbar Imam was a [[Janata Dal (United)]]’s candidate in Jehanabad constituency in the 2005 assembly election. In 2014, Akbar died of cancer, after an illness lasting many years. <ref name="theprint-28january2020"/>

Sharjeel Imam started school in 1994; he was considered as [[Bibliophilia|bibliophile]] by his teachers. His high school was a missionary school in Patna. After completing high school in 2006, he studied computer engineering at the [[Indian Institute of Technology Bombay]]. After graduation, he spent two years in Bengaluru where he joined a software company. In 2013, he joined [[Jawaharlal Nehru University]] to complete his Masters degree in Modern History and started PhD in 2015 from the same university.<ref name="theprint-28january2020"/><ref name="ht-29jan2020"/>

==Career==
Imam worked at the [[IT University of Copenhagen]] as a programmer for two months in 2019 and later worked as a teaching assistant at IIT Bombay. Thereafter, he worked as an engineer at [[Juniper Networks]] before returning to academics.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-09-21|title=The commitment to fight Islamophobia and promote equal citizenship: A portrait of Sharjeel Imam|url=https://www.thepolisproject.com/the-commitment-to-fight-islamophobia-and-promote-equal-citizenship-a-portrait-of-sharjeel-imam/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210208114853if_/https://www.thepolisproject.com/the-commitment-to-fight-islamophobia-and-promote-equal-citizenship-a-portrait-of-sharjeel-imam/#.YCElVOj7TIU|archive-date=2021-02-08|access-date=2021-02-28|website=The Polis Project|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-01-30|title=Scholar, IT pro, scribe, fanatic? Sharjeel Imam unravelled|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/scholar-it-pro-scribe-fanatic-sharjeel-imam-unravelled/1721765|url-status=live|access-date=2021-02-28|website=Outlook India}}</ref> Imam wrote articles for [[TRT World]],<ref>{{Cite web|title=Sharjeel Imam, Author at TRT World|url=https://www.trtworld.com/author/Sharjeel.Imam|publisher=[[TRT World]]|access-date=24 July 2020}}</ref> [[Firstpost]],<ref>{{Cite web|title=Sharjeel Imam, Author at Firstpost|url=https://www.firstpost.com/author/sharjeel-imam|publisher=[[Firstpost]]|access-date=24 July 2020}}</ref> [[The Quint]],<ref>{{Cite web|title=Sharjeel Imam, Author at The Quint|url=https://www.thequint.com/author/470026/sharjeel-imam|publisher=[[The Quint]]|access-date=24 July 2020}}</ref> and [[The Wire]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Sharjeel Imam, Author at The Wire|url=https://m.thewire.in/byline/sharjeel-imam|publisher=[[The Wire]]|access-date=24 July 2020}}</ref>

==Political activism==
Imam initially appeared as an active volunteer of [[Shaheen Bagh Protests|Anti CAA Protest at Shaheen Bagh]], Delhi. The police said that Imam made two "very inflammatory and instigatory speeches in his opposition to CAA and NRC" on 13 December 2019 and 16 January 2020.<ref name=ThePrint-26January2020>{{cite news |url=https://theprint.in/india/delhi-police-books-shaheen-bagh-protest-organiser-sharjeel-imam-for-inflammatory-speech/354679/ |title=Delhi Police books Shaheen Bagh protest organiser Sharjeel Imam for 'inflammatory speech' |date=26 January 2020 |work=[[ThePrint]] |access-date=17 August 2020}}</ref> The latter speech was 40 minutes long;<ref name="theprint-28january2020"/> in a three-minute long [[viral video]] of that speech, Imam could be heard calling for Assam to be "cut off" from the rest of the country by blocking the Siliguri corridor also known as "Chicken's Neck",<ref name=ThePrint-26January2020/><ref name="theprint-28january2020"/> which he explained was call for "chakka jam" — a legitimate form of protest in India.<ref name="tie-22july2020">{{Cite news|last=Saha|first=Abhishek|title=Student activist Sharjeel Imam tests positive for Covid-19 in Guwahati jail|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/student-activist-sharjeel-imam-tests-positive-for-covid-19-in-guwahati-jail/|date=22 July 2020|publisher=[[The Indian Express]]|access-date=22 July 2020}}</ref>{{efn| name = chakka jam| Chakka Jam is a term used in India and Nepal for the "deliberate creation of traffic jams as a form of political and social protest".<ref>{{citation |url=https://schott.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/24/chakka-jam/ |title=Schott's Vocab – Chakka Jam |date= 24 November 2008 |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=5 June 2020 |first1=Ben |last1=Schott}}</ref>}}<ref>{{Cite web|last=Menon|first=Aditya|date=2020-01-28|title=Sharjeel Imam Surrenders in Bihar: Is He A Terrorist or Scapegoat?|url=https://www.thequint.com/news/politics/jnu-student-sharjeel-imam-shaheen-bagh-speech-sedition-caa-protest|access-date=2020-11-09|website=TheQuint|language=en}}</ref>

Citing the [[Brandenburg v. Ohio|Brandenburg versus Ohio]] ruling, former Supreme Court Justice [[Markandey Katju]] came out in defense of Sharjeel arguing for quashing of FIRs against him saying that “he has not committed a crime”, even though he does not approve of his speech.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2020-01-27|title=Disapprove of Sharjeel Imam's Speech, But He Hasn't Committed a Crime, Says Markandey Katju|url=https://www.news18.com/news/india/sharjeel-imam-has-not-committed-crime-firs-against-him-must-be-quashed-says-markandey-katju-2475251.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201120200152/https://www.news18.com/news/india/sharjeel-imam-has-not-committed-crime-firs-against-him-must-be-quashed-says-markandey-katju-2475251.html|archive-date=2020-11-20|access-date=2021-02-11|website=News18|language=en}}</ref> Sharjeel's arrest was widely condemned by politicians, teachers, students, activists and other organizations.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Fatima|first=Nikhat|date=2020-06-02|title=Opposition parties condemn arrest of activists, scholars, call for 'united political movement'|url=http://twocircles.net/2020jun02/437283.html|access-date=2020-11-09|website=TwoCircles.net|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Fatima|first=Nikhat|date=2020-05-05|title=South Asian organisations in US accuse BJP of vendetta politics to persecute Muslims|url=http://twocircles.net/2020may05/436486.html|access-date=2020-11-09|website=TwoCircles.net|language=en-US}}</ref> The [[Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union]] said that his arrest is a matter of "Islamophobia, selective amnesia & bias" of the state apparatus.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|last2=|first2=|last3=|first3=|date=January 28, 2020|title=Sharjeel Imam arrest: Arrest shows Islamophobia and selective amnesia of state, says JNUSU|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/sharjeel-imam-arrest-live-updates-1640960-2020-01-28|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-11-09|website=India Today|language=en}}</ref> JNU Teachers' Association alleged that the sedition charge was invoked due to "other reasons" and that it reflects "politicisation" of the conduct of law enforcement agencies.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|last2=|first2=|last3=|first3=|date=29 January 2020|title=Sharjeel Imam's arrest in sedition case due to other reasons: JNUTA|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/sharjeel-imam-arrest-in-sedition-case-due-to-other-reasons-jnuta-1641074-2020-01-29|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-11-09|website=India Today|language=en}}</ref> 148 students and alumni of various IITs ([[Indian Institutes of Technology]]) and over hundred students from Jamia Millia Islamia, AMU and other state universities signed a letter in his support and alleged that a few minutes of his speech were cherry-picked to misrepresent what he said to make it appear hateful and objectionable.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Sharma|first=Kritika|date=2020-01-28|title=Sharjeel Imam comments ‘cherry-picked’ — IIT students, alumni say he is being victimised|url=https://theprint.in/india/sharjeel-imam-comments-cherry-picked-iit-students-alumni-say-he-is-being-victimised/355504/|access-date=2020-11-09|website=ThePrint|language=en-US}}</ref> A group of students hailing from Bihar and studying in prominent institutions including Jawaharlal Nehru University and IIT Delhi wrote an open letter to RJD leader [[Tejashwi Yadav]] urging him to demand the release of Imam, highlighting Imam's contribution as an academician, student, historian and journalist.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Fatima|first=Nikhat|date=2020-10-03|title=Bihar students write open letter to RJD, urge to break silence on incarceration of Sharjeel Imam, Meeran Haider|url=http://twocircles.net/2020oct03/439216.html|access-date=2020-11-09|website=TwoCircles.net|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Staff|first=Maktoob|date=2020-10-01|title=Bihar students write open letter to RJD to break its silence on arrested students Sharjeel and Meeran|url=https://maktoobmedia.com/2020/10/01/bihar-students-write-open-letter-to-rjd-to-break-its-silence-on-arrested-students-sharjeel-and-meeran/|access-date=2020-11-09|website=Maktoob|language=en-US}}</ref>

Over 50 activists were booked under sedition charges by Mumbai Police for raising slogans in support of Sharjeel Imam at a Pride Solidarity gathering in February 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2020-02-03|title=Booked for Pro-Sharjeel Slogan, Court Now Rejects Bail to Kris|url=https://www.thequint.com/news/india/fir-filed-for-slogans-in-support-sharjeel-imam-in-mumbai-sedition-invoked|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-11-09|website=TheQuint|language=en}}</ref> In January 2021, several Student Organizations in [[Delhi University]] demanded immediate release of Sharjeel one year after his imprisonment.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2021-01-30|title=One year in jail; Student orgs in Delhi University demand Sharjeel Imam's release|url=https://maktoobmedia.com/2021/01/30/one-year-in-jail-student-orgs-in-delhi-university-demand-sharjeel-imams-release/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210131040307/https://maktoobmedia.com/2021/01/30/one-year-in-jail-student-orgs-in-delhi-university-demand-sharjeel-imams-release/|archive-date=2021-01-31|access-date=2021-01-31|website=Maktoob|language=en-US}}</ref>

===Cases filed by different states===
Five Indian states have filed various cases against Imam includes [[Assam]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[Manipur]], [[Arunachal Pradesh]] and [[Delhi]].<ref name="ht-28jan"/><ref name="theprint-28january2020"/>
*On 25 January 2020, Assam Police registered a [[First information report|First Information Report (FIR)]] against Imam for his speech under section 13 (1)/18 of [[Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act|UA(P)ACT]] read with section 153A, 153B and 124A of [[Indian Penal Code]] (IPC).<ref name="ht-28jan"/>
*On the same day, Aligarh Police in Uttar Pradesh also registered case against Imam for sedition and creating enmity between two groups.<ref name="ht-28jan"/>
*[[Manipur]] police also filed an FIR against Imam for waging war against the Indian government, sedition, indulging in vilification, attacks on a particular group or conspiracy to commit offences. The police filed the FIR for his remarks of "cut off" northeast from rest of the country under FIR number 16(1)2020 IPC under sections 121/121-A/124-A/120-B/153 IPC.<ref name="ht-28jan"/>
*On 26 January 2020, Arunachal Pradesh's [[Itanagar]] police filed a FIR against Imam under section 124(A), 153(A) and 153(B) of the Indian Penal Code for sedition, promoting enmity between groups.<ref name="ht-28jan"/>
*The [[Delhi]] police filed an FIR under Indian Penal Code's section 153 in addition to the charges of sedition and promoting religious enmity.<ref name="ht-28jan">{{Cite news|title=From IIT-B to JNU to Shaheen Bagh: Who is Sharjeel Imam?|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/from-iit-b-to-jnu-to-shaheen-bagh-who-is-sharjeel-imam/story-qXNYIAkvxTlxXA3DlQHjKL.html|date=28 January 2020|publisher=[[Hindustan Times]]|access-date=23 July 2020}}</ref>

=== Prison ===
On 28 January 2020, Sharjeel Imam surrendered to Delhi police for allegedly delivering inflammatory speeches against [[Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019|Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA)]] and [[National Register of Citizens|National Register of Citizens (NRC)]].<ref name="thehindu-30jan2020"/><ref name="NewsClick-28January2020">{{Cite news |title=Sharjeel Imam Surrenders, but Media Continues to Harp on his 'Arrest'|url=https://www.newsclick.in/sharjeel-imam-surrenders-media-continues-harp-his-arrest|date=28 January 2020|publisher=[[NewsClick]]}}</ref> He was also booked under [[Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act]].<ref>{{Cite news | title =No immediate Supreme Court relief for anti-CAA activist Sharjeel Imam|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/no-immediate-supreme-court-relief-for-anti-caa-activist-sharjeel-imam/article31677474.ece|date= 26 May 2020|publisher=[[The Hindu]]|access-date=22 July 2020}}</ref> After his arrest he was taken to Assam and is held in [[Guwahati Central Jail]].<ref name=IndianExpress22July20>{{cite news |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/student-activist-sharjeel-imam-tests-positive-for-covid-19-in-guwahati-jail/ |title=Student activist Sharjeel Imam tests positive for Covid-19 in Guwahati jail |first1=Abhishek |last1=Saha |work=[[Indian Express]] |date=22 July 2020 |access-date=25 July 2020}}</ref> Whilst in prison he was infected with [[COVID-19]], and tested positive for it on 21 July 2020.<ref name=IndianExpress22July20/> The prison he is in holds slightly more than 1,000 inmates; least 435 inmates had tested positive for this disease by 22 July 2020.<ref name=IndianExpress22July20/>

On 29 July 2020, Delhi Court had issued a summon against Imam in the case related to his alleged inflammatory speech. Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender Rana after viewing the charge-sheet filed under UAPA against Imam and asked him to appear in court on 1 September 2020. The court took this decision due to coronavirus pandemic and said that if the physical appearance of the Imam is not possible then he can be presented via video-conferencing.<ref>{{Cite news | title=Delhi court takes cognisance of chargesheet filed under UAPA against Sharjeel Imam|url=http://businessworld.in/article/Delhi-court-takes-cognisance-of-chargesheet-filed-under-UAPA-against-Sharjeel-Imam/29-07-2020-302958|date=29 July 2020|publisher=Business World|access-date=1 August 2020}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{noteslist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Indian activists]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Imam, Sharjeel}}
[[Category:1988 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People involved in the Citizenship Amendment Act protests]]

Sharjeel Imam - Revision history

206.42.72.103 at 12:21, 3 July 2021