UN says Indian counter-terror operations in Kashmir violating human rights

UN human rights experts on Tuesday accused Indian authorities of committing 'serious violations' during large-scale counter-terrorism operations launched after the 22 April attack in Pahalgam, Indian-administered Kashmir, which left 26 people dead. 

The experts said they “unequivocally condemn” the deadly assault on the tourist area but stressed that counter-terror measures must comply with international human rights law.
Following the attack, Indian forces carried out sweeping raids across Jammu and Kashmir, detaining nearly 2,800 people, including journalists, activists and community leaders, according to the experts. Many were held under the Public Safety Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act—laws that allow extended detention without trial. Several detainees were allegedly tortured, denied legal access and held incommunicado for days.
The UN experts said they were deeply concerned by reports of arbitrary arrests, custodial deaths, torture, mob attacks and discriminatory treatment targeting Kashmiri and Muslim communities amid the crackdown. They also cited cases of house demolitions and forced evictions imposed on families accused of having links to militants, actions they described as unlawful collective punishment that violate a 2024 ruling of India’s Supreme Court.
The statement also flagged frequent communication shutdowns, mobile internet suspensions and the blocking of nearly 8,000 social media accounts, calling the restrictions excessively broad and incompatible with international norms protecting freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
Their concerns extended beyond Kashmir. The experts noted that Kashmiri students elsewhere in India faced surveillance and harassment, while incidents of anti-Muslim hate speech have risen sharply. They highlighted mass demolitions carried out in Gujarat and Assam and the expulsion of almost 1,900 Muslims and Rohingya refugees, warning that such actions violate the global ban on refoulement—returning people to places where they face persecution, torture or life-threatening harm.
The UN experts urged India to amend its counter-terror laws to align them with international standards, ensure full accountability for abuses and immediately release individuals arbitrarily detained in Jammu and Kashmir. They also encouraged both India and Pakistan to engage in peaceful dialogue to resolve the decades-long Kashmir dispute, which continues to fuel instability and cross-border violence.
The Himalayan region, claimed in full by both India and Pakistan but divided between them since 1947, has remained one of the world’s most volatile flashpoints. The nuclear-armed neighbours have fought three wars—two directly over Kashmir—as well as numerous skirmishes since partition.