Ms. Jagriti Rahi is a social activistand engaged on issues related to women and children at national and state levelsfor the last 20 years. She has been a member of several regional/district level committees for protection of women and child rights in Uttar Pradesh. She is a member of Juvenile Justice Board for the last 3 years. She is also a member of National Alliance for People’s Movement (NAPM)state committee and Sajha Sanskriti Manch working on environment issues such as Ganga and sisterrivers.She also worked for the Gandhi 150 (150thbirth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi) with childrenandyouth and was part of more than 40 Sadbhavna Sangams organised in eastern Uttar Pradesh against hatred and communal agenda.

According to information received,on January 29, 2020,anon bailable warrant has been issued by the Special Chief Judicial Magistrate, Varanasi against Ms. Rahiin case no: 09/2020 registered under IPC sections 147, 148, 149, 188, 332, 353, 336, 114, 120 B and Section 7 of Criminal Law (Amendment) Act (CLA).On January 23, 2020,Uttar Pradesh Police filed a FIRin Varanasi’s in the Chawk Police Station (case no: 09/2020) naming 32 persons and 500 to 600 unknown personsfor protests on January 23, 2019. Though Ms. Rahi is not named as an accused in the FIR, the note in the FIRhas her referencein relation to the anti-CAA/NRC protest. The note accusesMs. Rahi for inciting violence andsocial disharmony during the protest dharna organised at Beniyabag ground earlier on December 19, 2019,in Varanasi. On January24, 2020,Ms. Rahi came to know this through newspapers and administrative sources that her name is also now being associated with the dharna programme organisedon 23 January, 2020. Ms. Rahi informed the HRDA that a media portal with the name ‘Amritprabhat’ also published her photograph in an attempt to spread alarming false rumourand perpetuate misunderstanding,claiming this to be a part of an organisedconspiracy against her. Ms. Rahi also informed that she had no participation in either the protest demonstration held in Beniyabag, Varnasi on December 19, 2019 or in any its preparatory meetings. She has neither been named nor there is any reference of her participation in any FIR related to the December event. Her name has been referred in thenote of theFIR filed on January23, 2020,at the Chawk police station in Varanasi whereas on that very day she was present in her office till 5 pm. Ms. Rahi had no connection whatsoever with the incidents of either on December 19, 2019 or incident of January23, 2020.Ms. Rahi is being targeted by the police administration and other non-state actors in a smear campaign which is aimed at attacking her reputation, credibility and harass and criminalise her work. Reference of her name in police FIR and smear campaign against Ms. Rahi are an effort to slander the woman human rights defender in order to silence her. Sheis facing the threat of her arrest and judicial prosecution due to false charges being levelled against her by the Uttar Pradesh Police.After the non-bailable warrant issued on January 29, 2020,Ms. Rahi is facing the threat of her imminent arrest and detention.