'122 Muslims Charged With Terror Acquitted After 20 Years'
'11 Years In Jail Under Anti-terror Law, Kashmiri Man Acquitted'
These headlines speak volumes.
From the Malegaon blast case to the serial blasts in Jaipur, Delhi, Kanpur, Mumbai train blasts, there is one common thread - the wrongful arrest of Muslims who suffered for years in jail but were later 'acquitted' to lack of evidence.
But acquittal is meaningless for many of them. They continue to be publicly hated, harassed, and condemned for the rest of their lives.
Unlike the arrests, the acquittal hardly makes any news.
The Quint’s documentary 'Baizzat Bari – Acquitted, Yet Criminals?' tells the stories of a few such individuals who have been incarcerated for life after being wrongfully accused of terrorist activities.
The ordeal of some of these people has also been chronicled in a book called Baizzat Bari.
At The Quint, we aim to tell the stories of a few such individuals and highlight the pattern of shoddy investigation, false charges, as well as the presumption of guilt. Our documentary will feature exclusive interviews of the authors and the people they have featured in the book.
But we need your support to produce this documentary. Our production costs are Rs 3,58,875.
Click on thequint.com/special-projects and become a Q-Buddy. Your support can help us finish this project – and give a voice to the voiceless.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)