UN rights chief dismayed at activist arrests, NGO restrictions in India

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet on Tuesday expressed displeasure at the arrest of activists in India and the constraints on the work of non-governmental organisations in the country.

Bachelet appealed to the Indian government to protect the rights of human rights defenders and NGOs. 

“India has long had a strong civil society, which has been at the forefront of groundbreaking human rights advocacy,” Bachelet said.

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“But I am concerned that vaguely defined laws are increasingly being used to stifle these voices,” she added.

The former Chilean president also raised concern about Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), a law that has been recently amended to tighten foreign funding of the NGOs. 

“The FCRA has been invoked over the years to justify an array of highly intrusive measures,” she said, including “official raids on NGO offices and freezing of bank accounts”.

Bachelet mentioned that many activists including those who protested against the Citizenship Amendment Act had come under mounting pressure in recent times.

“I urge the government to ensure that no one else is detained for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly,” Bachelet said.

Reportedly, over 1,500 people have been arrested, she said, including 83-year-old Catholic priest Stan Swamy.