United States based non-governmental organization (NGO) Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Tuesday said the Indian authorities should stop using unnecessary lethal force against protestors of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 2019.
The organization also claimed that since after the CAA protests begun in the country in December 12, 2019, at least 25 people have killed and hundreds have been arrested.
HRW’s South Asia Director Meenakshi Ganguly said, “The Indian authorities should cease using unnecessary lethal force against demonstrators protesting a law that discriminates against Muslims”.
She also claimed that the deaths following CAA protests had occurred in BJP ruled states and the dead were persons belonging to Muslim religion.
She claimed that eighteen people in Uttar Pradesh, five in Assam, and two in Karnataka lost their lives in CAA protests.
“Most of those killed were Muslims, including an eight-year-old boy in UP. Scores of police officers have been injured,” she said.
The authorities had also used a colonial-era law, internet shutdowns, and limits on public transportation to prevent peaceful anti-CAA protests, she said.
Ganguly also alleged that the authorities have not interfered with demonstrators supporting the law, including ruling party leaders who have advocated violence.
She also urged the Indian government to revoke CAA.
According to Ganguly, the Indian authorities should ensure that security forces comply with the United Nations basic principles on the use of force and firearms by law enforcement officials.