India on Saturday rejected the concerns raised by the UN human rights office over the reported mass detentions of protesters in New Delhi, calling the remarks "misplaced" and an "unwarranted interference" in the country's internal affairs.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) had said it was "concerned by reports of mass detentions in India of demonstrators, protest leaders, members of civil society organisations, lawyers and journalists, before and during today's large-scale demonstrations in Delhi," in a statement issued by its spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan. The UN body said the right to peaceful assembly must be fully respected, that restrictions on protests should meet tests of "necessity and proportionality", and that all those detained "arbitrarily" should be released immediately and unconditionally. It also urged the authorities to exercise restraint and engage in meaningful dialogue with the protesters.
Responding in a post on X, India's mission in Geneva said the right to peaceful assembly was guaranteed by the Constitution and safeguarded by democratic institutions, an independent judiciary and a free media. It added that the exercise of that right was subject to reasonable restrictions in the interest of public order, and that law enforcement authorities act in accordance with the law. "The OHCHR's concerns are therefore misplaced and constitute an unwarranted interference in the internal affairs of India," the statement said.
According to Business Standard, India also accused the UN body of selectivity, urging it to devote comparable attention to large-scale protests elsewhere "consistent with its mandate of impartiality and non-selectivity". MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal noted that violent responses to protests in "our neighbourhood" had gone uncommented by the office, as had law enforcement actions near its own base, arguing that such double standards erode the credibility of multilateral institutions.
The unusually direct exchange followed the Cockroach Janta Party's planned demonstration at Jantar Mantar on October 10 against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged electoral-roll irregularities, during which thousands of protesters were detained across the capital. The Supreme Court held a special sitting on Sunday to hear pleas over the detentions and transit restrictions.
Sources:
UN human rights body expresses concern over Delhi detentions, urges immediate release — The Hindu
India denies OHCHR remarks on detentions in Delhi, calls concerns misplaced — Business Standard
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) had said it was "concerned by reports of mass detentions in India of demonstrators, protest leaders, members of civil society organisations, lawyers and journalists, before and during today's large-scale demonstrations in Delhi," in a statement issued by its spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan. The UN body said the right to peaceful assembly must be fully respected, that restrictions on protests should meet tests of "necessity and proportionality", and that all those detained "arbitrarily" should be released immediately and unconditionally. It also urged the authorities to exercise restraint and engage in meaningful dialogue with the protesters.
Responding in a post on X, India's mission in Geneva said the right to peaceful assembly was guaranteed by the Constitution and safeguarded by democratic institutions, an independent judiciary and a free media. It added that the exercise of that right was subject to reasonable restrictions in the interest of public order, and that law enforcement authorities act in accordance with the law. "The OHCHR's concerns are therefore misplaced and constitute an unwarranted interference in the internal affairs of India," the statement said.
According to Business Standard, India also accused the UN body of selectivity, urging it to devote comparable attention to large-scale protests elsewhere "consistent with its mandate of impartiality and non-selectivity". MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal noted that violent responses to protests in "our neighbourhood" had gone uncommented by the office, as had law enforcement actions near its own base, arguing that such double standards erode the credibility of multilateral institutions.
The unusually direct exchange followed the Cockroach Janta Party's planned demonstration at Jantar Mantar on October 10 against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged electoral-roll irregularities, during which thousands of protesters were detained across the capital. The Supreme Court held a special sitting on Sunday to hear pleas over the detentions and transit restrictions.
Sources:
UN human rights body expresses concern over Delhi detentions, urges immediate release — The Hindu
India denies OHCHR remarks on detentions in Delhi, calls concerns misplaced — Business Standard
