Geneva: UN experts have expressed deep alarm over serious human rights violations committed by Indian authorities in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir following the April attack in Pahalgam. They warned that India must uphold international human rights obligations even while addressing security challenges.
The experts said that all governments are bound by international law when countering terrorism and that the scale of Indias operations across occupied Jammu and Kashmir raises grave concerns.
Following the attack, Indian forces launched sweeping operations throughout the territory, resulting in the arrest and detention of around 2,800 people, including journalists and human rights defenders. Detentions were reported across Srinagar, Ganderbal, Bandipora, Kupwara, Baramulla, Budgam, Islamabad, Pulwama, Shopian and Kulgam districts.
The experts noted that many detainees were charged under the draconian Public Safety Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act³laws that allow prolonged detention without trial and contain vague, overly broad definitions of terrorism. Some detainees were reportedly tortured, held incommunicado, and denied access to lawyers and family members.
¬We condemn reports of arbitrary arrests and detentions, suspicious deaths in custody, torture and other ill-treatment, lynchings, and discriminatory treatment of Kashmiri and Muslim communities,® the experts said.
They also highlighted accounts of punitive house demolitions, forced evictions and arbitrary displacement, reportedly carried out against families of individuals accused of supporting militants³often without due process or court orders. These actions, they said, amount to collective punishment and violate a 2024 Indian Supreme Court ruling that declared such demolitions unconstitutional.
Concerns were also raised over communication blackouts and restrictions on press freedom. Authorities reportedly suspended mobile internet services and blocked nearly 8,000 social media accounts, including those belonging to journalists and independent media organisations.
The experts said these measures imposed disproportionate restrictions on freedoms of expression, association and peaceful assembly. They added that the effects extended beyond the occupied territory, with Kashmiri students across India facing harassment and intrusive data-collection directives issued to universities.
They noted an alarming rise in hate speech and incitement to violence against Muslims, allegedly fuelled by political leaders from the ruling BJP. The statement also documented expulsions of nearly 1,900 Muslims and Rohingya refugees to Bangladesh and Myanmar³often without due process³violating the international principle of non-refoulement.
The experts warned of the ¬persistent nature of violations® in the region, pointing to the continued arbitrary detention of human rights defenders such as Irfan Mehraj and Khurram Parvez. ¬We urge the immediate unconditional release of all individuals arbitrarily detained in Jammu and Kashmir,® they emphasised.
They further reported demolitions of Muslim homes, mosques and businesses in Gujarat and Assam, describing these actions as part of a broader pattern of discriminatory policies against Muslim communities.
The experts called on India to bring its counter-terrorism laws in line with international human rights standards, and demanded independent investigations and accountability mechanisms, including prosecutions where required. They cautioned that excessive counter-terrorism measures not only violate human dignity and international law, but also exacerbate grievances and fuel further violence.
Concluding their statement, the experts urged India and Pakistan to resume dialogue for a peaceful resolution of the decades-old Kashmir dispute. ¬We urge the Governments of India and Pakistan to peacefully resolve the long-running conflict over Jammu and Kashmir, which has fuelled human rights violations and the destructive cycle of cross-border violence,® they said.