PUCL accuses of illegal deportation of Rohingya refugees, demanding emergency investigation

Archive photos of Rohingya camp in Kalindi Kunj, New Delhi. Reports that Rohingya refugees were forced to enter the Andaman Sea from Indian naval ships are reflected. |Photo source: Sushil Kumar Verma

The Civil Liberties Union (PUCL) strongly condemned the alleged deportation of 40 Rohingya refugees from India, saying the reported actions were called “illegal”, “inhumane” and were “repeated deportation” for violating domestic and international legal obligations.

In a detailed statement released this week, PUCL claimed that refugees were forcibly evacuated from the national capital and transported to Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and were then abandoned in international waters near the border between Myanmar-Thailand-Taler and the Sea-Shanghai.

According to PUCL, deportation was conducted through detention of refugees, many of whom were registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) under the pretext of collecting biometric data. The people were reportedly detained by Delhi police on May 6 and moved to various police stations before being transferred to the Inderlok Detention Centre. Although the authorities initially claimed that the transfer was for biometric processing, the refugees were subsequently flew to Port Blair.

“It is shocking that 43 detainees were not released after collecting biometrics. Instead, they were blindfolded, handcuffed and placed on naval ships. After reaching the maritime border near Myanmar, they were thrown into international waters,” Pucl said. “That includes minors, older people and people with severe health conditions, including cancer.

PUCL President Kavita Srivastava criticized Narendra Modi’s approach to refugee policy, comparing it with the former Trump administration’s tough immigration stance in the United States. “The BJP seems to have adopted a paradigm of disregard for the rule of law and judicial oversight. The so-called “reverse” policy advocated by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is a blatant violation of constitutional norms and international humanitarian principles,” Srivastavava Ms.”

A recording of a survivor shared with PUCL, allegedly being abused on a naval ship, including physical abuse, interrogation and sexual harassment. “We were accused of participating in the Pahargan terrorist attack. When we denied, we were told that we were pretending. Women were abused. Ultimately, we were abandoned at sea,” the survivor said.

PUCL Secretary General Dr V. Suresh pointed out that the Myanmar National Unification Government has confirmed that 40 rescued Rohingya are now under their protection. However, the whereabouts of the other three remain unknown, with other reports indicating that at least 14 refugees were illegally detained and subjected to violence in custody.

“This is a serious violation of India’s obligations under international law, including the Convention on Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide ratified by India in 1959,” Dr. Suresh said. “The Rohingya are one of the most persecuted ethnic minorities in the world. It is morally irrefutable to return them to areas full of conflict and genocide charges.”

PUCL also pointed to the May 8 Supreme Court hearing, during which the judiciary refused to interfere with a request for reported deportation. The Union Government reportedly claimed in its response that Article 19(1)(e) of the Constitution guarantees the right to reside anywhere in India and applies only to citizens. PUCL refuted this position, pointing out that Article 21 – the right to life and the right to individual freedom – extends to “all persons” and does not depend on citizenship.

Although India is not a signatory to the 1951 United Nations Refugee Convention, PUCL asserts that the deportation process is bound by the Foreigners Act and related legal frameworks. The group argues that the treatment of refugees constitutes torture and violates India’s commitments under the United Nations Convention against Torture.

“In cases involving one of the world’s most vulnerable refugee groups, the Indian government has effectively undermined due process and legal protections,” the PUCL statement concluded. “This marks a disturbing moment in India’s human rights history.”

According to International Refugee International, about 22,500 Rohingya refugees are currently registered in UNHCR India. Many people live under unstable conditions and face systemic violations of their rights.