UN human rights body expresses concern over detention in Delhi and calls for immediate release

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk speaks to the media. File | Photo credit: AP

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said on Saturday (Oct 10, 2026) it was “concerned” by reports of “mass detention” at protests in Delhi against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, a statement the government rejected. The UN body said Indian authorities should ensure that the right to peaceful protest is respected and that all those detained “arbitrarily” must be released immediately and unconditionally. The government reacted strongly, calling the concerns “misplaced” and calling the OHCHR’s statement an “unwarranted interference in India’s internal affairs”.

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“We are concerned by reports of mass detention of protesters, protest leaders, members of civil society organizations, lawyers and journalists in India before and during today’s large-scale demonstrations in Delhi,” UN human rights spokesman Thameen Al-Kheetan said in a statement, adding that any restrictions on peaceful protests should meet the test of “necessity and proportionality” in key areas, referring to large security areas in the capital. internet and cancellation of trains to the city.

#India: We are alarmed by reports of mass detention of protesters, protest leaders, members of civil society organizations, lawyers and journalists before and during today’s large-scale demonstrations in Delhi. We call on the authorities to ensure that the right to peaceful assembly is fully respected and fulfilled. https://t.co/tqrQyZoXBJ

— UN Human Rights (@UNHumanRights) October 10, 2026

An unusually direct statement

“Indian authorities should also ensure that law enforcement forces exercise maximum restraint in responding to peaceful protesters in accordance with the country’s democratic traditions and human rights obligations,” Al-Kheetan said.

In a statement hours later, India’s permanent mission in Geneva, where the UN body is based, said India was the “world’s largest democracy” and cited India’s constitution and “robust institutions” to say the right to assemble was protected.

“As in any democracy, Indian citizens exercise this right with reasonable restrictions in the interest of public order. The authorities act in accordance with the law and our courts are available to all to redress any wrongs,” the Indian mission said in a statement.

“The OHCHR’s concerns are therefore valid and amount to an unwarranted interference in India’s internal affairs,” he added. The Geneva-based UN body regularly publishes human rights reports and UN experts often comment on developments, but this statement is unusual, given the direct call on the government to “engage in a meaningful dialogue to address the widely expressed concerns”.

Published – 10 October 2026 23:16 IST