UNHR Committee Criticizes India’s Record on Minority Rights and Counter-Terrorism Measures

The United Nations Human Rights Committee has issued a series of critical findings regarding India after reviewing the country’s compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) during its latest session in Geneva.

The committee, composed of 18 independent experts, adopted its concluding observations on July 22 after holding hearings earlier in the month. The findings expressed deep concern over discrimination and violence against minority groups in India, including religious minorities such as Muslims, Christians, and Sikhs, as well as scheduled castes.

The committee urged India to enact comprehensive anti-discrimination laws, increase public awareness, and provide training for civil servants, law enforcement officers, the judiciary, and community leaders to promote respect for diversity.

The committee also highlighted concerns about India’s Armed Forces (Special Powers) Acts (AFSPA) and counter-terrorism laws, stating that some provisions are not in compliance with the ICCPR. The application of these laws in “disturbed areas” like Manipur, Jammu and Kashmir, and Assam was particularly troubling, as it has led to widespread human rights violations, including excessive use of force, unlawful killings, prolonged arbitrary detention, sexual violence, forced displacement, and torture.

The committee called on India to align its counter-terrorism and security measures with its ICCPR obligations, ensuring they are temporary, proportionate, and subject to judicial review. Additionally, it urged India to establish a mechanism to acknowledge responsibility and uncover the truth about human rights violations in these disturbed areas.

India was among seven countries reviewed by the committee during this session, along with Croatia, Honduras, Maldives, Malta, Suriname, and Syria.