Skip to content Skip to navigation

UN experts urge India to release protest leaders

GENEVA (26 June 2020) – UN experts* today called on India to immediately release human rights defenders who have been arrested for protesting against changes to the nation’s citizenship laws.

“These defenders, many of them students, appear to have been arrested simply because they exercised their right to denounce and protest against the CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act), and their arrest seems clearly designed to send a chilling message to India’s vibrant civil society that criticism of government policies will not be tolerated,” the experts said.

One of the most alarming cases concerns pregnant Delhi student Safoora Zargar, who was detained for over two months having allegedly been kept in conditions equating to solitary confinement, denied regular contact with her family and legal representative, and having not been provided adequate medical care or diet. She was finally granted bail on 23 June 2020, in her sixth month of pregnancy, on humanitarian grounds.

The CAA provides expedited and simplified access to citizenship for people from specific religious minorities from several neighbouring countries but it excludes Muslims. Its adoption in December 2019 provoked nationwide protests by Indians from diverse faiths – including Hindus – who believe it violates the secular foundations of India’s constitution.

Many of the 11 individual cases* include serious allegations of human rights violations, several relating to due process failings during arrest and detention, as well as allegations of torture and ill-treatment.

“Authorities should immediately release all human rights defenders who are currently being held in pre-trial detention without sufficient evidence, often simply on the basis of speeches they made criticising the discriminatory nature of the CAA,” they said.

The experts also highlighted their concern that the authorities’ response to the protests seemed discriminatory. It appears they have not similarly investigated allegations of incitement to hatred and violence made by CAA supporters, some of whom are reported to have chanted “shoot the traitors” at counter-rallies.

The experts further flagged their concern that authorities were invoking counter-terrorism or national security legislation, and using procedural police powers, to deny bail to protesters and issue charges carrying heavy sentences.

“Although demonstrations ended in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and India’s Supreme Court issued a recent order to decongest jails because of health concerns related to the pandemic, protest leaders continue to be detained. The reported spread of the virus in Indian prisons makes their immediate release all the more urgent,” the experts said.

They are in contact with the Government on this matter.

* Meeran Haider, Gulfisha Fatima, Safoora Zargar, Asif Iqbal Tanha, Devangana Kalita, Natasha Narwal, Khalid Saifi, Shifa Ur Rehman, Dr. Kafeel Khan, Sharjeel Imam, Akhil Gogoi.

Add new comment

Random Stories

Exempt agri officers from NRC

17 Sep 2016 - 8:06am | Mowsam Hazarika
An acute manpower crisis has forced the agriculture department to urge the authorities to exempt its officials from the NRC works. In a recent letter, the agriculture director has requested the...

Workshop held on manuscript preparation and painting in Sankari art form

31 Jul 2023 - 8:00pm | Dr Buljit Buragohain
Guwahati, 31st July: A five-day workshop was held manuscript preparation and painting in Sankari art form in Guwahati from July 26 to 30 under the auspices of the Department of Historical...

Maiden Bihu workshop, Garbhanga Reserve Forest - photo by Alex

Bihu workshop at Garbhanga Reserve Forest

22 Mar 2013 - 10:10am | Peter Alex Todd
Very soon the atmosphere of "Rongali Bihu" will be on the air, and hundreds of participants will be flocking in various Bihu dance workshops in the state. However, in a unique development, the dull...

Three persons of a family murdered in Kokrajhar

27 Jun 2019 - 10:07pm | AT Kokrajhar Bureau
Kokrajhar:  Sensation prevailed along the Mukhigaon area in Kokrajhar district after three member of a family was murdered by unidentified miscreants late night at Mukhigaon village. Police has...

Other Contents by Author

 In a bid to shape the future of climate action, indigenous communities and local Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Assam joined forces on June 30, 2023, for a community consultation on COP28, the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Held at Rajputana Login, Jorhat, this event provided a vital platform for communities to express their concerns, contributions, and recommendations regarding the upcoming critical climate conference. The consultation, organized by the North-East Affected Area Development Society (NEADS) and supported by various Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), aimed to ensure that community...
IIT Roorkee, in collaboration with astronomers from India, Japan, and Europe, has made a significant breakthrough in the study of gravitational waves. An international team of astronomers has recently published their findings in the Astronomy and Astrophysics journal, providing evidence of ultra-low frequency gravitational waves and shedding light on the humming of our universe. Using some of the world's most sensitive radio telescopes, including India's largest telescope, uGMRT, the team monitored pulsars, which are rapidly rotating neutron stars, to detect these waves. The pulsars, acting as cosmic clocks, emitted radio beams that were analyzed for changes in arrival times caused by...
Assam TMC chief and AITC national spokesperson Ripun Bora on Thursday strongly condemned the shocking incident reported from Ghograpara Police Station in Nalbari district where an underage girl in lock up was stripped by a police officer and being photographed. Bora alleged that the actions of CM Himanta Biswa Sarma to empower Assam Police personnel against controlling crime resulted in extreme Police Raaj in the state. The shameful incident which happened at Ghograpar Police Station on the unfortunate night of June 21 is reported by the girl on June 26 at Nalbari district head police station, however no action was taken on that complaint till 28th June. Commenting on this, Ripun Bora...
The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Guwahati Off-Campus celebrated its 10th Convocation ceremony on June 23, 2023. The event was held at the Maniram Dewan Trade Centre Auditorium, Guwahati and was graced by the presence of Prof. Manorama Sharma, Professor (Retd.), Dept. of History, North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), who served as the Chief Guest. The Director of the Institute, Prof. Shalini Bharat and Officiating Registrar, Prof. Sasmita Palo were also present at the ceremony. During the convocation ceremony, 154 students who graduated in the year 2023 were awarded their degrees. One student was conferred with a PhD degree in Social Sciences while 112 students obtained their...
The TMC Assam unit has opposed the draft delimitation proposal published by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday evening. The proposal is prepared based on the 2001 census, which the TMC claims is not correct as there has been a change in the population pattern in the state. Assam TMC chief Ripun Bora has alleged that the ECI is following the dictates of the BJP party and that the delimitation process on such short notice reflects the assurance of electoral gains through voter division. Bora also stated that the delimitation cannot be accepted without the completion of proper NRC and that TMC has been demanding delimitation on the latest census. The TMC has rejected the draft...
We are deeply concerned about the continuing ethnic violence in Manipur between the Meitei community and the tribal Kuki and Zo communities. We demand an immediate halt to this violence that is causing large scale disruption of lives, livelihoods and properties and unleashing even more terror among people. The immediate trigger to this violence was an April 2023 Manipur High Court order advising the state government to grant the Meitei community (members of which now have either OBC or in some cases SC status) the status of Scheduled Tribe. Thereby, the Meitei community would have access to land that is currently reserved for tribal communities. Several spates of violence broke...
Assam TMC chief Ripun Bora on Thursday in a couple of tweets expressed his angst for the inaction of the Central Government in not taking any steps to investigate into the alleged links between Assam CM Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma and BJP leader Ram Madhav with terrorist outfit. In a tweet, Bora questions the credibility of the Government of India as it has been using central agencies like CBI & ED against opposition leaders all the time. Then why is GOI silent on the allegations of Assam CM Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma being involved with Kuki militants in the Manipur election in 2017? Bora demanded a NIA probe into the allegations and arrest of Sarma under NSA Act. Meanwhile, he also stated...
Here's an appeal for donations for the relief effort currently being undertaken by  by Rural Women Upiftment Society, Manipur. Online donations can be made to the organisation through at https://milaap.org/fundraisers/support-rural-women-upliftment-society . Dear friends, The devastating ethnic violence and arson that unfolded in Manipur since May 3rd, 2023, have left a trail of destruction, claiming the lives of over 100 people, injuring more than 5,000, and displacing an estimated 70,000 individuals. Numerous homes, villages, and churches have been reduced to ashes, leaving families without shelter or land to return to. The situation is dire and urgent...
In a devastating incident on 2 June 2023, three trains collided near the city of Balasore in Odisha, resulting in a catastrophic loss of life and a large number of injuries. The collision involved the 12841 Coromandel Express, the 12864 SMVT Bengaluru–Howrah SF Express, and a goods train near the Bahanaga Bazar railway station. The incident has sent shockwaves throughout the country, and questions are being raised about the safety measures in place within the Indian Railways. The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has previously published an audit report exposing the neglect of crucial rail safety by the Modi government and Rail Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. The report revealed...
Guwahati: The All Assam Engineers' Association (AAEA) has strongly called for the demarcation of the Assam Engineering College campus and the construction of a solid boundary wall to safeguard the prestigious institution in Jalukbari, Northeast India. The organization, while expressing condolences for the recent tragic incident that claimed the lives of seven AEC students, emphasized the need for a secure residential campus where hostel residents cannot venture out after specified evening hours. Following the incident, concerns were raised regarding security measures at the college. The AAEA's statement highlighted the fact that the AEC campus is no longer isolated as it was decades ago...