Politics · India Bureau
UN flags concerns over mass detentions at Delhi protest
The United Nations human rights office has expressed alarm over the detention of hundreds of demonstrators during Saturday's large-scale protest in Delhi, calling on Indian authorities to uphold citizens' right to peaceful assembly.
LSN India ·
Security forces prevented a planned demonstration by the Gen Z-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) from reaching Jantar Mantar in central Delhi on Saturday, resulting in widespread detentions of protesters, protest organisers, civil society members, lawyers and journalists, according to UN accounts.
The demonstration was organised to press demands for electoral reforms and the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, citing allegations of voter list manipulation. Both the Election Commission and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have rejected these allegations.
In a statement released Saturday, UN human rights spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan expressed concern over the mass detentions, urging Indian authorities to respect the constitutional right to peaceful protest. The office called for the immediate release of anyone detained arbitrarily and stressed the importance of protecting the freedoms of assembly and expression.
The incident reflects ongoing tensions between demonstrations and law enforcement in the capital, as civil society groups continue to mobilise around electoral governance and institutional accountability issues.