UN Experts Urge India to End Excessive Force Against Protesters Amid Human Rights Concerns

Image Credit: Sushil Kumar Verma

United Nations human rights experts have called on the Indian government to stop the alleged excessive use of force against protesters and launch an independent investigation into police conduct following a crackdown on youth-led demonstrations. The experts raised concerns about injuries, arbitrary detentions and reports of ill-treatment, urging authorities to protect the right to peaceful protest.

In a statement issued on October 20, the experts said demonstrators, including students, had reportedly faced force despite participating in peaceful assemblies. They also expressed concern about allegations of sexual violence and other forms of gender-based abuse during protests and related detentions. The experts called for accountability and appropriate remedies for anyone whose rights may have been violated.

The protests have taken place in New Delhi and other parts of India over recent months, initially involving concerns about education policies and more recently focusing on revisions to voter lists. Opposition parties and student groups are demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar after approximately 130 million names were removed from voter rolls. Protesters argue that the changes could disproportionately affect poor and homeless people, as well as minority communities, including Muslims. India’s Election Commission maintains that the revisions target duplicate, deceased or otherwise ineligible voters, with avenues available for people to appeal exclusions.

The UN experts also raised concerns about reports of mass detentions, restrictions on public gatherings, internet disruptions and the use of digital surveillance, including biometric technology. They urged the government to lift blanket assembly bans and ensure that any restrictions on demonstrations are lawful, necessary and proportionate. They further called for an impartial investigation into the conduct of law enforcement personnel and affiliated forces.

India has pushed back against international criticism, describing such interventions as interference in its internal affairs. Government representatives have maintained that law enforcement agencies operate within the law and have cautioned against treating unverified allegations as established conclusions. The dispute highlights growing tensions between the government’s approach to public order and demands from protesters and rights advocates for greater protection of civil liberties.

The latest criticism follows earlier concerns from the UN human rights office over mass detentions during demonstrations in New Delhi. Rights organisations have also criticised the response to the protests, while demonstrators continue to challenge decisions they believe threaten their political representation and freedom to express grievances.

The UN experts’ appeal now places renewed focus on the handling of public demonstrations in India, a country whose Constitution protects the right to peaceful assembly subject to lawful restrictions. Their call for an independent investigation seeks to establish accountability for alleged abuses and prevent further violations as protests continue. Whether the government responds with an investigation or changes to its protest restrictions remains a key issue in the unfolding dispute.