‘After 28 months and a long fight, I am out’: Journalist Siddique Kappan walks out of UP jail
IndianexpressFeb 03, 2023
The Facts
On Thursday, Indian journalist Siddique Kappan was released from prison after serving over two years on alleged money laundering and terror charges.
Kappan, who was arrested in Oct. 2020 in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh while on his way to cover a high-profile sexual assault case, was held for 28 months without trial.
The Spin
Narrative A
Siddique Kappan was unjustly imprisoned for performing his journalistic duties. The police tried everything in their power to punish Kappan for doing his job as a journalist accusing him of sedition and terrorism and then keeping him detained on money laundering charges. Kappan’s Muslim faith was targeted and likely played a role in his arrest.
Narrative B
Siddique Kappan was arrested on serious charges of attempting to create caste-based conflict and had ties to the now-banned Islamist group Popular Front of India. Kappan was arrested because authorities had reasonable grounds to suspect him of engaging in illegal activity. It is illogical to connect his faith and his crime.