GENEVA: United Nations human rights experts have expressed grave concern over human rights violations committed by Indian authorities in occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
The warning comes after an attack on 22 April 2025 in Pahalgam, a popular tourist area in Indian occupied Kashmir, which killed 26 people. While unequivocally condemning the attack and offering condolences to the victims and the government of India, the UN experts stressed that counter-terrorism measures must comply with international human rights law.
According to the experts, Indian authorities launched sweeping security operations across Jammu and Kashmir after the attack, resulting in the arrest and detention of approximately 2,800 individuals.
Those detained reportedly include journalists, students, and human rights defenders. Some were held under the Public Safety Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, laws that allow prolonged detention without charge or trial and contain broadly defined terrorism-related provisions.
The experts cited allegations of arbitrary arrests, torture, incommunicado detention, denial of access to lawyers and family members, and suspicious deaths in custody. They also reported incidents of lynching and discriminatory treatment targeting Kashmiri and Muslim communities.
Particular concern was raised over reports of punitive house demolitions, forced evictions, and arbitrary displacement affecting families accused of links to militants. The experts described these actions as collective punishment and noted that they contradict a 2024 ruling by India’s Supreme Court, which declared such demolitions unconstitutional and a violation of the rights to life and human dignity.
Restrictions on freedom of expression and the press were also highlighted. Authorities allegedly imposed mobile internet shutdowns and blocked around 8,000 social media accounts, including those belonging to journalists and independent media outlets. The experts said such measures amounted to disproportionate restrictions on fundamental freedoms.
The impact of the crackdown was reportedly felt beyond Kashmir. Kashmiri students elsewhere in India were allegedly subjected to surveillance and harassment following government directives to collect their personal data. UN experts also pointed to a rise in hate speech and incitement to violence against Muslims, which they said was inflamed by political rhetoric.
Additionally, demolitions were reported in Gujarat and Assam, where thousands of Muslim homes, mosques, and businesses were destroyed. Nearly 1,900 Muslims and Rohingya refugees were reportedly expelled to Bangladesh and Myanmar, often without due process, in violation of the international principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits returning individuals to countries where they face serious harm.
The experts drew attention to the long-standing nature of human rights concerns in Jammu and Kashmir, citing the continued detention of human rights defenders such as Irfan Mehraj and Khurram Parvez under security laws.
They urged the government of India to immediately release all individuals arbitrarily detained, bring counter-terrorism laws in line with international standards, and conduct independent investigations into all alleged violations to ensure accountability.
Warning of broader consequences, the experts said excessive counter-terrorism measures risk deepening social divisions and fueling further violence.
They also called on both India and Pakistan to pursue a peaceful resolution to the long-running Kashmir conflict, which they said continues to drive human rights abuses and regional instability.
