Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Amnesty International have issued a strong appeal to the European Union (EU) to pressure the Indian government to halt ongoing human rights violations. This call to action comes in a joint statement released on Monday, ahead of the upcoming EU-India Human Rights Dialogue.
HRW and Amnesty International are joined by several other human rights organizations, including Front Line Defenders, the World Organisation Against Torture, and Christian Solidarity Worldwide, in urging the EU to advocate for increased public oversight and accountability in India’s human rights policies. The comprehensive statement outlines several key recommendations for the EU’s engagement with India on human rights issues.
The recommendations emphasize the immediate release of arbitrarily detained human rights defenders and journalists and the necessity of repealing repressive laws used to target minorities and silence dissent. The statement also criticizes India’s abuse of foreign funding laws to target NGOs.
Additionally, the human rights organizations call on the EU to press the Indian government to condemn and hold accountable those responsible for attacks on religious minorities. They also advocate for intervention to prevent state governments from imposing arbitrary collective punishments on minority communities. The joint statement stresses the importance of granting access to United Nations independent experts and international human rights monitoring mechanisms, including in Jammu and Kashmir and Manipur.
The statement outlines the discrimination faced by minority communities during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration, notably criticizing laws that have led to the exclusion of Muslim asylum seekers and allowed discrimination against Muslims. It condemns inciting statements made by Modi and other BJP leaders, which reportedly normalize abuses against Muslims, Christians, and other marginalized groups.
Particular concern is raised over the expansion of police powers through the new Code of Criminal Procedure and amendments to the Information Technology Rules. These legal changes are seen as infringing upon the rights to freedom of expression, association, peaceful assembly, and fair trial, and undermining media freedoms, rights to privacy, and digital freedom. The impact of restrictive internet policies on vulnerable communities is also highlighted.
For further details, the complete joint statement can be accessed on Human Rights Watch’s official website.