India Dismisses UN Concerns Over Protest Detentions
India Responds to UN Human Rights Office
Security personnel detain activists during the CJP protest at Delhi's Connaught Place, on Saturday. (Photo:PTI)
New Delhi, Oct 11: On Sunday, India rejected the concerns raised by the United Nations Human Rights Office regarding the mass detentions of protesters, civil society members, lawyers, and journalists in Delhi, labeling them as “unwarranted” and an “unacceptable interference” in its domestic matters.
Following a statement from the UN office that highlighted the detentions during significant protests in the capital, India asserted that the Constitution guarantees the right to peaceful assembly, which is protected by democratic institutions, an independent judiciary, and a free press.
“In every democracy, citizens exercise this right while ensuring public order and safety. Our law enforcement operates strictly within the law, and our courts are accessible for addressing grievances,” the statement emphasized.
“Thus, the concerns raised by the OHCHR are unfounded and represent an unacceptable intrusion into India's internal affairs,” it continued.
India further accused the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) of applying biased standards in its public statements, urging it to focus equally on large-scale protests and law enforcement actions in other regions.
“Such double standards undermine the credibility of its position and contribute to a decline in trust in multilateralism,” the statement remarked.
This response came after UN Human Rights spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan expressed concern over reports of mass detentions occurring before and during the protests in Delhi.
“We are troubled by reports of mass detentions in India involving demonstrators, protest leaders, civil society members, lawyers, and journalists,” Al-Kheetan stated.
He urged Indian authorities to ensure that the right to peaceful assembly is fully respected, emphasizing that any restrictions on peaceful protests must adhere to strict standards of necessity and proportionality.
The UN office also called for the immediate and unconditional release of all individuals it deemed arbitrarily detained and encouraged authorities to engage in meaningful dialogue to address the concerns of protesters.
The detentions occurred on Saturday as protesters attempted to reach Jantar Mantar to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Delhi Police apprehended approximately 7,000 individuals at various locations, including opposition leaders and members of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which organized the protest.
Extensive security measures were implemented by authorities to prevent demonstrators from accessing the protest site.
With inputs from agencies