Teesta SETALVAD
A writer and activist, Teesta Setalvad remained on trial at the end of the year while remaining subject to onerous bail conditions impacting her freedom of movement. She was detained on 25 June 2022 by Gujarat anti-terror police at her home in Mumbai, the capital of the neighbouring state of Maharashtra, in connection with allegations of ‘criminal conspiracy’ and ‘forging evidence’ as part of her efforts to seek government accountability for the 2002 Gujarat Riots, a period of inter-communal violence that led to the deaths of hundreds of Indian citizens. Setalvad has alleged that she was assaulted by two members of the anti-terror police when she requested permission to speak with her lawyer. Just one day prior to Setalvad’s detention, on 24 June 2022, the Supreme Court rejected a plea submitted by Setalvad and co-petitioner Zakia Jafri, whose husband, the former parliamentarian Ehsan Jafri, was killed during the riots. The plea sought to reopen an investigation into the potential involvement of local government officials in the violence. She was released on interim bail on 2 September 2022 and was formally charged on 20 September 2022 with fabrication of evidence offences under Sections 194, 218 and 468 and of the Indian Penal Code. On 19 July 2023, Setalvad was granted regular bail by the Supreme Court.
In October 2023, members of Delhi Police’s Special Cell unit carried out searches of Setalvad’s home and seized her phones, without a warrant, at the same time that mass raids that were carried out against journalists and contributors connected with online independent news outlet, NewsClick (see Case Lists 2023/2024 and 2022).
Teesta Setalvad, born on 9 February 1962 is a writer, journalist and one of India’s most high-profile human rights defenders. From 1983, Setalvad wrote for a decade for news outlets including The Daily, The Indian Express and Business India. In response to the 1992 demolition of the Babri Masjid by Hindu nationalists, Setalvad left mainstream journalism, to establish a monthly magazine called Communalism Combat, which sought to address issues of religious intolerance and the role of certain political parties which stoke inter-religious hostilities within Indian society. Over the following years, Setalvad mounted numerous campaigns for the rights of women and marginalised groups across India. In 2017, Setalvad published her memoir, entitled Foot Soldier of the Constitution, charting her career from journalist to civil rights activist and human rights defender.