More than 20 United Nations human rights experts on Tuesday expressed alarm over what they described as a repeatedly heavy-handed police response to peaceful youth-led demonstrations in New Delhi and other Indian cities over the past three months, news agency Press Trust of India reported.

The experts called on Indian authorities to respect, protect and fulfil the right to peaceful protest and ensure justice for human rights violations reported during these and previous demonstrations.“This crackdown reflects a broader, troubling pattern,” the experts said in a statement issued in Geneva.

“We have repeatedly alerted the Indian authorities to undue restrictions on peaceful assembly, excessive use of force, arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances, and the targeting of student activists, amongst others.”

They urged the authorities to immediately stop the use of excessive force, withdraw blanket bans on assemblies and refrain from misusing digital surveillance, including biometric systems, and disrupting internet services.

The experts also called for an independent, impartial and thorough investigation into the conduct of law enforcement agencies and affiliated forces. They said the investigation should be launched without delay to ensure accountability, justice and compensation for victims.

Despite the non-violent nature of the gatherings, law enforcement agencies reportedly used force against unarmed students, including lathi charges, and prevented thousands of people from joining the protests, the experts said.

According to PTI, the experts noted that thousands of students and their supporters had gathered peacefully in different parts of the country over the past few months to protest against government decisions concerning the education system.

More recently, they had protested against voter-roll deletions affecting 130 million people. The experts claimed that more than 7,000 young people, journalists, human rights defenders, lawyers and members of political parties had recently been arbitrarily detained in New Delhi. Most of them, including protest leaders, were released 24 hours later. They expressed particular concern over reports of sexual violence and other forms of gender-based abuse during the protests and related detentions. The experts also raised concerns over bans on public gatherings and internet shutdowns. “These actions violate India's core international legal obligations, including the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly, freedom of expression, liberty, security of the person, and the right to defend human rights,” they said.

The signatories included Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association Gina Romero; Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Leopoldo Maldonado Gutirrez; Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Andrea Bolaos Vargas; Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment Pau Prez Sales; and Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequences Reem Alsalem.

The UN experts reiterated their call for Indian authorities to protect peaceful protests, end the reported use of excessive force and investigate alleged rights violations to ensure accountability and justice for those affected.