Indian Comedians Face Arrest For Making Wrong Kind Of Jokes

This time last year Nalin Yadav was detained in an Indian prison, not knowing when he would be let out. "I didn't understand how or why this happened to me," said the 26-year-old stand-up comedian, who spent almost two months behind bars.

Photo Insert: Comedian Nalin Yadav is one of a growing list of journalists, activists, and entertainers who have become caught up in the country's crackdown on freedom of expression.

"I couldn't sleep or eat. I had anxiety attacks. My mind wouldn't stop racing," Rhea Mogul reported for CNN.

His alleged crime? Organizing and opening a show for a comic he says he had met just five minutes earlier, a Muslim comedian accused of telling jokes that insulted the Hindu faith.

He and four others have pleaded not guilty over allegedly hurting and outraging religious sentiment during a comedy show last January. They are still awaiting trial for the charges and face three years in prison if convicted.

While comedy can be polarizing all over the world, in India telling jokes about Hinduism or being associated with someone who insults the majority faith can be enough to prompt legal action.

Experts say India's colonial-era laws are being used by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government to quash criticism and encourage self-censorship.

At the same time, authorities have been accused of turning a blind eye to vitriolic comments from right-wing extremist groups who align with the BJP's Hindu-nationalist agenda.

Yadav is one of a growing list of journalists, activists, and entertainers who have become caught up in the country's crackdown on freedom of expression. The problem is, the comedian -- who is Hindu -- says he didn't even mention Hinduism that night.

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