New Delhi: A 2026 report by three independent human rights experts raises serious concerns over alleged anti-Muslim violence and discrimination in Uttar Pradesh and Assam. The report states that actions documented between 2022 and 2025 may amount to international crimes under human rights and criminal law.
Published by the Transnational Legal Clinic at King’s College London, the report finds evidence of systemic discrimination. It cites patterns of hate speech, forced evictions, police abuse, and discriminatory governance. The panel includes Sonja Biserko, Marzuki Darusman, and Stephen Rapp, all with experience in international investigations.
In Assam, the report highlights repeated public statements portraying Bengali-speaking Muslims as threats. It links such rhetoric to large-scale evictions, deportations, and denial of citizenship rights. Over 17,600 families have faced eviction since 2016. Between May and July 2025, at least 1,880 Muslims were expelled to Bangladesh. The report states these actions may qualify as ethnic cleansing and apartheid under international law.
In Uttar Pradesh, the panel points to over 16,000 police encounters since 2017, with 266 deaths recorded. Muslims form over 32 percent of those killed, despite being about 19 percent of the population. The report also documents so-called half-encounters, where suspects are shot in the leg. It states these practices may amount to torture and unlawful punishment.
The panel finds that victims lack access to justice. It notes no FIRs were filed in encounter cases and calls domestic remedies ineffective.
The report concludes that a pattern of dehumanisation and targeted violence against Muslims is expanding in scope and intensity. It urges urgent attention to protect fundamental rights.
Story by Betwa Sharma for Article 14
