Munawar Faruqui, 29, was arrested in the central Indian city of Indore on Jan 1 during a stand-up comedy show.

A complaint filed by the son of a lawmaker from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party accused Faruqui of making “filthy and indecent jokes” about Hindu gods and goddesses, as well as India’s Home Minister Amit Shah.

Friends advocating for his release say he had not made any offending jokes in his show on the day he was arrested.

On Thursday, a court in Indore rejected an appeal for bail.

“Regard being had to the material seized and the statements of the witnesses and that the investigation is in progress, no case is made out for grant of bail,” the order read.

Faruqui’s friend Saad Sheikh, who is coordinating with the legal team for his release, told Reuters it was the third time a bail application has been rejected.

“His family is very disheartened,” he said.

“Today is his birthday and we cannot organise anything for him. He is lodged in the jail and he has apologised also.”

Faruqui’s continued detention has raised alarm over the treatment of India’s Muslim minority, as well as the shrinking space for artistic expression.

“Make no mistake – this is an emblematic case, which brings to question India’s commitment to free speech, rule of law, and judicial fairness,” an editorial in India’s Hindustan Times newspaper said on Thursday.