South Asia Justice Campaign

NEW: The Panel of Independent International Experts (PIIE)’s new report finds reasonable basis to believe that apartheid as a crime against humanity is being committed against Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam, India—and that apartheid conditions are being strengthened and consolidated. Read the full report: piieindia.org The report documents a multi-pronged architecture of citizenship deprivation—including the exclusionary design of the NRC, religion-based corrective pathways under the CAA favouring non-Muslim groups, and new executive procedures enabling summary detention and expulsion—that has resulted in large-scale nationality insecurity, disenfranchisement, denial of access to welfare and public services, arbitrary detention, and deportation. These measures operate within a legal and administrative framework that systematically marginalises and subordinates a racialised group, and their scale and policy-driven character support the inference that they form part of an institutionalised regime of domination pursued pursuant to state policy. The Panel comprises @SBiserko, @MarzukiDrsmn, and Stephen Rapp — who between them have led UN investigations and international criminal prosecutions relating to Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and North Korea.

Report by 3 independent human rights experts, published by the Transnational Legal Clinic King’s College London, examines anti-Muslim crimes in Assam & UP under international law, finding they may be violations of human rights & criminal law including crimes against humanity 1/2

NEW: The Panel of Independent International Experts (PIIE)’s new report finds that a series of public statements by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma raise sufficiently serious concerns under the Genocide Convention and the Rome Statute to warrant further independent investigation. Read the full report: piieindia.org The Panel concludes that CM Sarma's speeches satisfy the physical elements of direct and public incitement to genocide—while noting that, though his words expressly support ethnic cleansing, the evidence does not establish specific genocidal intent. Sarma repeatedly portrayed Bengali-speaking Muslims as 'infiltrators' and an existential threat, invoked imagery of setting 'fire,' framed events as a 'last battle of survival,' and called for conditions to be 'explosive' while facilitating arms licences in Muslim-concentration areas. The Panel emphasises that India's erga omnes obligation to prevent genocide is both salient and extremely urgent in these circumstances. The US Holocaust Museum's Center for the Prevention of Genocide has named India as the number two country in the world for risk of genocide. The Panel comprises @SBiserko, @MarzukiDrsmn, and Stephen Rapp—who between them have led UN investigations and international criminal prosecutions relating to Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and North Korea.

PUBLIC NOW: Joint communication to the Government of India by the UN Special Rapporteurs on Torture and on Extrajudicial Executions (sent 3 February 2026), echoing the PIIE’s concerns about torture and 'encounter' practices by police forces in UP, Assam and other states. India has not responded. The Government's silence on serious allegations from UN experts reinforces the Panel's finding that there is no realistic prospect of effective domestic remedy. See the letter here: spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/…

NEW: The Panel of Independent International Experts (PIIE) has found reasonable basis to believe that the practice of so-called 'half-encounters' by Uttar Pradesh Police may amount to torture as a crime against humanity. Read the full report: piieindia.org In 2024 alone, at least 56 Muslims were grievously injured in custodial or allegedly staged public shootings, typically shot in the knees or legs. The consistency of injury patterns, allegations of planted weapons, absence of imminent threat, and instances of public staging point to punitive and premeditated violence rather than legitimate law enforcement. Maimings occurred across at least 16 districts, while senior officials, including the Chief Minister, publicly endorsed aggressive encounter policing and popularised rhetoric such as 'thok do' — supporting the inference of a state policy. Since 2017, at least 266 people have been killed in 'encounter' operations under CM Adityanath. Zero FIRs have been registered against police personnel. The Panel comprises @SBiserko, @MarzukiDrsmn, and Stephen Rapp — who between them have led UN investigations and international criminal prosecutions relating to Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and North Korea.

"In effect, there seems now to be a settled pattern of inhumane acts against Muslims in India, in some states at least, that is widespread and systematic, amounting to severe deprivation of fundamental rights." buff.ly/6KNKBs0

Three eminent international law and human rights experts have found that crimes against Muslims in the states of Assam and Uttar Pradesh may amount to apartheid as a crime against humanity, involving inhumane acts committed within an institutionalised regime of systematic oppression and domination over a racialised group. maktoobmedia.com/india/panel-co…

"That experts of this calibre have found it necessary to turn their attention to India is itself a measure of the gravity of what is unfolding. The eyes of the region, and of the world, are on us." — Justice Madan B. Lokur, retired Judge, Supreme Court of India piieindia.org

In both states, the widespread and institutionalised pattern of anti-Muslim hate speech—led by senior elected officials—may amount to persecution as a crime against humanity. In Assam, such statements were made in circumstances that appear to be preparing the ground for ethnic cleansing. piieindia.org

In Assam, the systematic stripping of citizenship, legality and residence from Bengali-speaking Muslims may amount to apartheid as a crime against humanity. In Uttar Pradesh, the systematic practice of 'half-encounter' shootings by police may amount to torture as a crime against humanity. piieindia.org

The Panel finds credible evidence of widespread and systematic human rights violations against Muslims in both states—and reasonable grounds to believe that international crimes, including persecution, torture, and deportation as crimes against humanity, may have been committed. piieindia.org

OUT NOW: The Report of The Panel of Independent International Experts on alleged violations of international law against Muslims in Assam and Uttar Pradesh, India — 2022–25. Download here: piieindia.org

At least 50 extrajudicial killings of Muslims in India in 2025, of which 27 were by Hindu extremists due to their religious identity, according to the data compiled by the South Asia Justice Campaign. maktoobmedia.com/india/at-least…

OUT NOW: The latest edition of our India Persecution Tracker, where we provide a round-up of documented human rights violations against India's Muslims and other religious minorities in 2025. Access here: southasiajusticecampaign.org/ipt2025/

At least 50 extrajudicial killings of Muslims reported in India in 2025: 23 by state actors, 27 by Hindu extremists maktoobmedia.com/india/at-least…