UN Committee Rebukes India for Large-Scale Human Rights Violations

The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) rebuked India on Tuesday for large-scale human rights violations perpetrated by law enforcement officials. The committee expressed grave concern over racially motivated violence, extrajudicial killings, torture, and sexual violence targeting non-citizens, Indigenous and Tribal Peoples, and Scheduled Castes, specifically Dalits.

CERD noted an escalation in these violations following a 2017 Union Home Ministry order and the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir. The committee specifically highlighted increased law enforcement operations targeting Rohingya, Bengali-speaking Muslims, and asylum-seekers, which reportedly involve arbitrary detention and racial profiling. The watchdog urged India to conduct impartial investigations and refrain from collective expulsions or the forced return of individuals needing international protection.

Led by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, the Government of India defended its record during its first review since 2007. The delegation pointed to the nation's pluralism, diversity, and existing constitutional and legal safeguards as evidence of its commitment to equality.

In a broader session in Geneva, the committee also issued findings against other nations. It criticized Finland for failing to guarantee the self-determination of the Sami people, flagged forced evictions of Indigenous peoples in Honduras, and urged Kuwait to abolish the kafala sponsorship system.