November 5, 2025
Staff Report
LAHORE
United Nations human rights experts have raised grave concerns over the Indian government’s response to a major terrorist attack in (Indian-occupied) Jammu and Kashmir, alleging a pattern of mass arbitrary detention, collective punishment, discriminatory demolitions, and a systemic crackdown on civil liberties targeting the Muslim community.
The 20-page letter, dated 5 September 2025 and sent to the Indian government representative in Geneva, outlines what the experts describe as a “criminalization, repression and collective punishment” of Kashmiri individuals and Muslims across India following the 22 April 2025 Pahalgam attack, which killed 54 individuals, including 26 tourists.
The communication was issued by the Special Rapporteur on counter-terrorism and human rights, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, and the special rapporteurs on extrajudicial executions, freedom of expression, adequate housing, human rights defenders, internally displaced persons, minority issues, privacy, and religious freedom.
Mass arrests and alleged ill-treatment
The UN experts state that in the aftermath of the attack, Indian authorities launched extensive security operations, leading to the arrest of approximately 2,800 individuals in Jammu and Kashmir. These individuals were reportedly detained on suspicions of sympathizing with or being “overground workers” for militant groups.
The letter alleges that many arrests occurred during night raids without warrants, with detainees held for days without charge. It further claims that many were subjected to torture and ill-treatment, including beatings, and were held incommunicado, denied access to lawyers or family. Some were reportedly moved to detention centers outside the region, impeding legal access. Between 75 and 90 individuals have been charged under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) and 12 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), laws repeatedly criticized by UN bodies for their potential for abuse.
Collective punishment and home demolitions
One of the most stark allegations concerns the demolition of homes as a form of collective punishment. The experts report that between 24 and 27 April, Indian authorities demolished at least nine houses in Kashmir, including ancestral homes, belonging to families of individuals perceived as supporting the militants responsible for the Pahalgam attack.
Villagers were reportedly ordered out of their homes and returned to find them razed, resulting in forced eviction and displacement. The letter cites a 2024 ruling by India’s own Supreme Court, which stated that demolishing a family’s home because one member is accused of a crime “amounts to inflicting collective punishment” and is a violation of the right to life.
The experts also express alarm at a reported nationwide surge in the demolition of Muslim properties, citing the destruction of over 10,000 structures in Gujarat and over 3,400 homes in Assam belonging predominantly to Bengali-speaking Muslims, actions they link to a rise in anti-Muslim hate speech following the attack.
Crackdown on expression and surveillance
The communication details a significant clampdown on freedom of expression and information. The Jammu and Kashmir government allegedly ordered temporary mobile internet suspensions, while the Indian government blocked around 8,000 social media accounts, including those of independent news organizations and Kashmiri journalists, without legal justification.
Newspapers in Kashmir are reportedly being deprived of crucial government advertisements, threatening their financial survival. Furthermore, the experts highlight an increase in surveillance targeting Kashmiri students, both within and outside Jammu and Kashmir. They cite a directive from Delhi University, based on Ministry of Home Affairs orders, requesting personal details exclusively from Kashmiri students, a move described as fostering “fear and a sense of alienation.”
Discriminatory harassment and deportations
The letter points to a documented increase in hate speech and harassment against Muslims, with 64 such events recorded between 22 April and 2 May 2025. These campaigns allegedly called for violence, social and economic boycotts of Muslims, and their expulsion from some areas, with the experts noting that such rhetoric was fueled by leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Finally, the UN experts raise the alarm on “intensified targeted deportation campaigns against Muslims,” alleging that nearly 1,900 individuals, including some with valid documentation or citizenship and Rohingya refugees, were expelled to Bangladesh without due process. They stress that India is bound by the customary international law principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits returning individuals to countries where they face a risk of persecution.
Legal framework and international obligations
The experts repeatedly reference India’s counter-terrorism laws, the UAPA and PSA, recalling long-standing concerns that their “overbroad and vague definitions” allow for arbitrary detention and misuse. They regret that India has taken no measures to align these laws with international standards, despite similar concerns raised by the UN Human Rights Committee in 2024.
The communication systematically links the alleged actions to violations of multiple articles of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, both ratified by India. These include the rights to life, liberty, freedom from torture, privacy, freedom of expression and religion, adequate housing, and freedom from discrimination.
Call for action
The UN experts have posed a series of detailed questions to the Indian government, demanding explanations on the legal basis for the arrests and deportations, measures taken to investigate alleged extrajudicial killings and torture, and steps to protect minorities from discrimination. They have requested a response within 60 days, after which the communication and any reply will be made public.
The letter concludes by urging India to “take all necessary interim measures to halt the alleged violations and prevent their re-occurrence,” and to ensure accountability should the allegations be proven true. This communication represents one of the most comprehensive and critical international assessments of India’s human rights record in recent years, placing significant diplomatic pressure on the government to address these severe allegations.