UN rights office urges release of detained Delhi protesters, India accuses it of double standards
India accuses it of double standards. (Image courtesy: X/@MEAIndia)
New Delhi: The United Nations Human Rights Office has called on India to release people arbitrarily detained during large-scale protests in Delhi, warning that restrictions on peaceful demonstrations must meet strict tests of necessity and proportionality. India has rejected the criticism, accusing the UN body of double standards and calling its remarks an “unacceptable interference” in the country’s internal affairs.
The UN human rights spokesman, Thameen Al-Kheetan, said on Saturday that the office was concerned about reports of mass detentions involving demonstrators, protest leaders, civil society members, lawyers and journalists before and during the protests.
The office urged Indian authorities to ensure that the right to peaceful assembly was respected, law enforcement personnel exercised restraint and those arbitrarily detained were released immediately and unconditionally. It also called for meaningful dialogue to address protesters’ concerns.
India hits back at UN rights office
Responding on Sunday, Randhir Jaiswal, ministry of external affairs spokesman, defended the authorities’ actions, saying India’s Constitution guaranteed peaceful assembly and that the right was safeguarded by independent institutions, the judiciary and a free media.
He said citizens exercised this right subject to the maintenance of public order and safety, adding that law enforcement authorities acted in accordance with the law and courts remained available to address grievances.
“The OHCHR’s concerns are therefore unwarranted and constitute an unacceptable interference in the internal affairs of India,” Jaiswal said.
India accuses UN of double standards
India also accused the OHCHR of selective scrutiny, questioning its response to protests and law enforcement actions in different parts of the world. Jaiswal said violent responses to protests in India’s neighbourhood had gone uncommented upon, as had law enforcement actions in the office’s own vicinity.
“Such double standards only erode the credibility of its standing and contribute to the loss of faith in multilateralism,” he said.
Earlier, India’s permanent mission in Geneva had described the OHCHR’s concerns as misplaced and called for comparable attention to large-scale protests elsewhere.
