India's Supreme Court has granted bail to a Christian professor who is facing three years in jail after being accused of inciting hatred against Hindus.
Amit Kumar Soren, a professor at the St. Columba College in the state of Jharkhand, was charged in 2016 for "engaging in deliberate acts intended to outrage the majority of the population's religious sentiments."
The allegations against Soren came after several Christians were beaten up for distributing pamphlets promoting a Christian event, in which the professor served as the convener.
Lower courts have rejected Soren's application for "anticipatory bail," but the Supreme Court granted his request this week, allowing the professor to stay out of jail as he awaits trial.
The Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a legal organization supporting Christians, hailed the Supreme Court decision, saying it was a "solace in the run-up to Easter."
"Professor Soren's case just shows how absurd the allegations against Christians have become. He was falsely accused of inciting hate," Tehmina Arora, the director of ADF India, said, according to Premier.
"The only thing he did was to organise a public gathering and stand up for religious freedom in India. He now faces up to three years in prison," Arora added.
ADF lamented that Christians in India are an "ill-treated minority," and denounced a proposal that could lead to a ban on religious conversions in Jharkhand if it is enacted.
The proposed law, known as the Religious Freedom Bill, requires people to declare their decision to leave Hinduism. Those who are found in violation could face up to four years in prison or pay the fine of up to 100,000 Rupees (US$1,536). The ADF further argued that the bill could effectively ban Easter baptisms.
The bill reportedly faced stiff opposition from religious groups, civil society and tribal groups in Jharkhand after it was passed by lawmakers last August.
Anti-conversion laws have been enacted in six states in India, namely Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Himachal Pradesh.
Some have complained that the lack of definition for the terms "inducement," "coercion," "force," or "fraud" have allowed Hindu nationalists to use the laws to harass and intimidate Christians.
One evangelical group in India said that the year 2017 was "one of the most traumatic" for Christians in 10 years.
A report, released by the Religious Liberty Commission of the Evangelical Fellowship of India, found that there were at least 351 cases of violence against Christians in 2017. The group noted that the list was not "exhaustive" and the actual figures could be higher.
