The Office of the United Nations Human Rights Commissioner (OHCHR) on Saturday (October 10, 2026) said it was “concerned” by reports of “mass detentions” at the Delhi protests against the Chief Election Commissioner. The UN body said that Indian authorities should ensure that the right to peaceful protest is respected and that all those detained “arbitrarily” must be immediately and unconditionally released.
“We are concerned by reports of mass detentions in India of demonstrators, protest leaders, members of civil society organisations, lawyers and journalists, before and during today’s large-scale demonstrations in Delhi,” UN Human Rights spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan said in the statement, adding that any restrictions on the peaceful protests should meet the test of “necessity and proportionality”, in a possible reference to the large security presence in the Capital with barricades across central areas, the suspension of the internet, and the cancellation of trains to the city. “The Indian authorities should also ensure law enforcement forces exercise utmost restraint in response to peaceful protesters, consistent with the country’s democratic traditions and human rights obligations,” Mr. Al-Kheetan said.
The Ministry of External Affairs did not respond to the statement released on Saturday (October 10) evening.
The UN body, based in Geneva, regularly publishes reports on human rights, and UN experts comment frequently on developments, but the statement is unusual, given the direct call to the government to “engage in meaningful dialogue to address the broadly held concerns expressed”.
