United Nations (UN) experts called on Indian authorities to respect, protect and fulfil the right to peacefully protest and ensure justice for reported violations, according to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

According to reports cited by the experts, over 7,000 youths, journalists, human rights defenders, lawyers and party members were reportedly arbitrarily detained in New Delhi and taken to remote centres, where their phones were allegedly seized and protest-related material deleted. In recent months, hundreds of thousands of students and supporters have gathered peacefully against decisions on the education system and, more recently, against voter-roll deletions affecting 130 million people.