Aabid Sheikh 

Activist

Uttar Pradesh 

HRDA issued an urgent appeal to the National Human Rights Commission on May 17, 2022 over the misuse of law by Varanasi police and district administration, who accused Mr. Aabid Shekh of causing a potential breach of peace and asked him for Rs. one lakh in a surety bond. 

Mr. Aabid Shekh is a human rights defender from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. He has been a participant in many peaceful citizenship protests in the past including anti CAA protests and raised his voice on public issues. 

He has no past criminal record and there is no valid reason for the police and district administration to ask him to provide a surety bond for breach of peace. The main purpose of the notice is to harass and silence the voices of law abiding HRDs like Mr. Aabid Shaikh, who exercise their constitutionally granted right to peaceful protest. We have hence urged the Hon’ble Commission to direct the DGP of Uttar Pradesh to initiate and independent and impartial inquiry into the action being taken against Mr. Aabid Shekh.