Police action against protesters violates India’s core international legal obligations: UN human rights experts

Student protesters staging Tiranga march at Cannought Place against CEC Gyanesh Kumar in New Delhi. File | Photo credit: Sushil Kumar Verma

Against the backdrop of ongoing protests against the deletion of voters from the electoral roll by the Election Commission of India, a group of world-renowned reporters and human rights experts said recent actions by Indian security agencies and the Delhi Police violate India’s “fundamental international legal obligations”.

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In a joint expert statement issued by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), experts pointed out that “over 7,000 young people, journalists, human rights defenders” were arbitrarily detained in New Delhi during the protests and expressed concern over reports of sexual violence.

“These actions violate India’s fundamental international legal obligations, including the right to freedom of peaceful assembly, freedom of expression, liberty, security of persons and the right to defend human rights,” the experts said, adding, “any restrictions on peaceful assembly must be lawful, pursue a legitimate objective, and be necessary and proportionate.”

A statement from experts said the crackdown revealed a “broader disturbing pattern” of Indian authorities using “disproportionate restrictions on peaceful assembly, excessive use of force, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances and targeting of student activities…”

Student protesters march against CEC Gyanesh Kumar near Jantar Mantar, New Delhi. File | Photo credit: Sushil Kumar Verma

Demanding “reparations” for affected individuals and protesters, the experts called for an “independent, impartial and thorough investigation” into the actions of law enforcement and allied forces “without delay”.

The experts whose names appear in the statement are Gina Romero, Margaret Satterthwaite, Cecilia M. Bailliet, Farida Shaheed, Bethanie Margaret Carney Almroth, Ivana Krstic, Haina Lu, Dorothy Estrada-Tanck, Claudia Flores, Laura Nyirinkindi, Grazyna Baranowska, Ana Lorena, A Delgadla Balde Lorena Mohammed Al-Obaidi, Astrid Puentes Riano, Elena Carolina Diaz Galan, Sofia Monsalve Suarez, Nicolas Levrat, Leopoldo Maldonado Gutierrez, Andrea Bolanos Vargas, Pau Perez Sales, Reem Alsalem, and Ana Brian Nougreres.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not yet responded to the latest remarks by UN human rights experts.

Published – 20 October 2026 17:35 IST