Human rights conditions in over 100 countries and territories worldwide in 2022. Find your county status. World human rights report 2023.
By Sampad Mohapatra
India Human Rights status for 2022
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government continued its systematic discrimination and stigmatization of religious and other marginalized, particularly Muslims. BJP supporters increasingly committed violent attacks against targeted groups. The government’s Hindu majoritarian ideology was reflected in bias in institutions, including the justice system.
Authorities intensified efforts to silence civil society activists and independent journalists by using politically motivated criminal charges, including terrorism. Sent to jail those exposing or criticizing government abuses. The government used foreign funding regulations and allegations of financial irregularities to harass
rights groups, political opponents, and others.
Indian authorities intensified restrictions on free expression and peaceful assembly in Jammu and Kashmir.
In May, the Supreme Court effectively halted all use of the colonial-era sedition law in an interim ruling.
The Indian government has supported humanitarian efforts in Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Ukraine.
Freedom of Expression
Authorities arrested journalists critical of the government on politically motivated charges. In July, Jharkhand police arrested independent journalist Rupesh Kumar Singh, who reports on the rights of Adivasi communities. under UAPA.
In September, the Supreme Court granted bail to journalist Siddique Kappan after being held for 2 years on baseless charges of terrorism, and sedition. Kappan, who was arrested in October 2020 while on his way to report on the gang rape and murder of a Dalit girl in Uttar Pradesh, remained in custody on other charges.
Authorities also continued to stop activists and journalists critical of the government, from traveling abroad.
In August, the committee of experts constituted by the Supreme Court to investigate the use of Pegasus spyware on Indian citizens submitted its report, which revealed that 5 out of 29 phones examined had malware on them, but failed to determine whether it was Pegasus. The Supreme Court noted that the government did not cooperate with the committee’s investigation but did not make the report public.
