The United Nations has expressed concern over India’s deportation of Rohingya Muslims, saying such practices risk normalising violations of migrants’ and refugees’ rights worldwide.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, speaking at the 60th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva on Monday, said policies undermining human rights are spreading across the globe. “Human rights — all human rights — are the solid foundations of flourishing societies… And yet, disturbing trends that undercut our rights are gaining ground across the world,” he said.
Türk noted that both Pakistan and Iran have forcibly sent millions of Afghan refugees back to their country. “India has also deported groups of Rohingya Muslims by land and sea,” he added.
He also voiced concern about steps taken by Germany, Greece, Hungary and other European nations to restrict the right to seek asylum, and pointed to agreements by the US with countries like El Salvador, South Sudan, Eswatini and Rwanda to send migrants to third countries instead of their homelands, a move that has raised questions over international law.
Calling for stronger global action, Türk said: “Every child – whether a future farmer, digital worker, doctor or shopkeeper – must understand that human rights are our birthright.”
According to Human Rights Watch, around 40,000 Rohingya refugees live in India, with at least 20,000 registered with the UN refugee agency.
