Brief
India rebuffs UN human‑rights office over Delhi protest detentions
New Delhi, Oct 11 — India dismissed the UN Human Rights Office’s criticism of recent mass arrests during a protest, labeling the remarks unwarranted interference.
By Felo News Desk · Published
New Delhi, Oct 11 — India rejected remarks by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) that expressed concern over reported mass detentions of protesters in the capital, calling the comments “misplaced” and an “unwarranted interference” in its internal affairs.
What happened
On Oct 10, demonstrators gathered at Jantar Mantar after the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) called for a protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. According to the UN statement, authorities detained demonstrators, protest leaders, civil‑society members, lawyers and journalists before and during the rally. India’s response was posted on its official X account, India at UN, Geneva, on Oct 11.
What the reports add
The UN spokesperson, Thameen Al‑Kheetan, said the agency was “concerned by reports of mass detentions” and urged Indian authorities to respect the right to peaceful assembly, ensure any restrictions meet strict tests of necessity and proportionality, and release arbitrarily detained individuals. India’s statement countered that the right to peaceful assembly is guaranteed by the Constitution and protected by “robust institutions, an independent judiciary and a free media,” adding that any restrictions are “subject to reasonable restrictions in the interest of public order.”
What was said
“We have seen the OHCHR’s remarks about today’s events in New Delhi. India is the world’s largest democracy, where the right to peaceful assembly is guaranteed by our Constitution and safeguarded by robust institutions, an independent judiciary and a free media,” the X post read, as reported by News18.
Al‑Kheetan told reporters, “We call on the authorities to ensure that the right to peaceful assembly is fully respected and fulfilled. Restrictions on peaceful protests must meet strict tests of necessity and proportionality,” according to the same source.
How it came about
The protest followed a series of actions by the CJP, including the detention of founder Abhijeet Dipke and senior members on an Air India flight from Mumbai, and a lockdown in Delhi that saw trains cancelled, metro stations closed and mobile internet suspended, as covered in Felo’s earlier report on the Delhi lockdown protest.
Key facts
- India rejected OHCHR concerns over mass detentions in Delhi, calling them misplaced. (news18.com)
- The UN spokesperson said the agency was concerned about reports of detentions of protesters, leaders, lawyers and journalists. (news18.com)
- India’s statement emphasized constitutional guarantees of peaceful assembly and said restrictions are subject to reasonable limits for public order. (news18.com)
- The protest was triggered by the Cockroach Janta Party’s call to demonstrate against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. (news18.com)
Sources
- [1] news18.com — originally reported as “India rejects OHCHR remarks on detentions in Delhi, calls concerns "misplaced"”
