4 October, Kathmandu. The United Nations has expressed concern over the heavy-handed police crackdown on protests in India in recent months.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has called on Indian authorities to respect and protect the right to peaceful protest. He also asked to ensure justice in cases of human rights violations.
UN experts had earlier warned Indian authorities not to impose unreasonable restrictions on peaceful gatherings. They asked not to use excessive force, not to arbitrarily detain and not to target students.
The United Nations issued an official statement on Tuesday. "According to reports, plainclothes police detained 10 activists working for student rights and labor rights in New Delhi in March," the statement said. They were not allowed to have contact with anyone for more than 24 hours. During that period, they were allegedly abused, threatened, pressured and forced to make statements. Later the court released them.
UN experts say these steps violate India's obligations under international law. "These steps violate India's fundamental obligations under international law," they said. This includes freedom of peaceful assembly, freedom of expression, personal liberty, security and the right to speak out in defense of human rights.
According to the United Nations, any restrictions on peaceful demonstrations must be in accordance with the law. It must have the right purpose and must be within reasonable limits.
The experts further said, "The government should ensure that such incidents do not recur." The democratic rights of students and other people should be protected, so that they can gather in one place and express their grievances and dissatisfaction.
United Nations experts have called for an independent and impartial investigation into the actions of law enforcement agencies and the police. They say that this investigation should be started without any delay. According to the United Nations, its purpose is to hold the perpetrators accountable. It will also help in providing justice and compensation to the victims.
