United Nations and Rights Groups Condemn India’s Alleged Forced Deportation of Rohingya Refugees

Author: Aamnah Fatima Khan

May 19, 2025

HRRC strongly condemns the inhumane and unlawful deportation of Rohingya refugees by Indian authorities. Forcing vulnerable individuals into perilous waters violates international law and shames the principles of human dignity and justice.

A Rohingya refugee who has not been identified due to safety concerns, talks to The Associated Press in New Delhi, India, about how his family was deported to an island in Myanmar, Friday, May 16, 2025. [Image credit: AP Photo/Manish Swarup]

United Nations (UN) officials and human rights organizations have criticized India's government for forcefully deporting 43 Rohingya refugees, including women, children, and the very ill, and throwing them into the Andaman Sea near Myanmar earlier this month.

Tom Andrews, the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Myanmar, said he is investigating "credible reports" that Indian naval vessels abandoned Rohingya refugees at sea, calling the incident "outrageous" and a violation of international law, including the principle of non-refoulement. Andrews requested the Indian government to halt all deportations and provide a detailed explanation of the occurrences.

According to reports from the People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), on May 6, Indian police detained Rohingyas in several parts of Delhi under the premise of collecting biometric data. Victims, including youngsters, cancer patients, and the elderly, were reportedly blindfolded and flown to Port Blair before being transferred to navy ships. Survivors claim they were tortured, accused of terrorism without proof, and sexually abused before being thrown into international waters.

PUCL described the conduct as a "covert and brutal" operation that violated India's Constitution and international treaties such as the Genocide Convention and the UN Convention Against Torture. The organization sought a transparent inquiry and protection for all Rohingyas in Indian detention.

On May 8, a Supreme Court appeal was filed, requesting an immediate halt to deportations and compensation of ₹50 lakh each deportee. However, the court allegedly declined to interfere. The location of many deported refugees is unclear. The National Unity Government (NUG) of Myanmar has reported rescuing several, but their present state is unknown.

Multiple human rights groups have urged the Indian government to uphold constitutional and humanitarian values, and to cease policies they describe as illegal and inhumane.

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Glossary

• Alleged – Claimed or asserted to be true, often without proof.

• Andaman Sea – A part of the northeastern Indian Ocean, located between the eastern coast of India and Myanmar, often used in maritime routes.

• Biometric data – Unique physical or behavioral characteristics (like fingerprints or iris scans) used for identification.

• Blindfolded – Having one's eyes covered to prevent sight, typically used to disorient or control.

• Cease – To bring or come to an end.

• Covert – Hidden or secret; not openly acknowledged or displayed.

• Deporting – Forcibly removing someone from a country, especially a foreign national.

• Flown – Transported by air, typically via aircraft.

• Genocide – The deliberate and systematic destruction of a racial, political, or cultural group.

• Halt – To stop or bring to a stop.

• Inhumane – Lacking compassion or kindness; cruel or brutal.

• International waters – Areas of the sea not under the jurisdiction of any single country, open to all nations.

• Lakh – A unit in the Indian number system equal to 100,000.

• Myanmar – A Southeast Asian country, formerly known as Burma, where Rohingya Muslims face persecution.

• Naval vessels – Ships that are part of a nation’s navy, used for military purposes.

• Non-refoulement – A principle in international law that prohibits returning asylum seekers to a country where they face threats to life or freedom.

• Perilous – Full of danger or risk.

• Rapporteur – A person appointed by an organization to investigate and report on a specific issue.

• Refugees – People who flee their country due to war, persecution, or natural disaster and seek safety elsewhere.

• Rohingya – A Muslim ethnic minority group from Myanmar, subjected to severe persecution and displacement.

• Urged – Strongly recommended or advised someone to take a specific action.

• Vulnerable – In need of special care or protection due to age, disability, or risk of harm or exploitation.

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Sources

1. https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/05/alarmed-reports-rohingya-cast-sea-indian-navy-vessels-un-expert-launches?sub-site=HRC 

2. https://maktoobmedia.com/india/pucl-says-rohingya-refugees-tortured-abandoned-to-die-at-sea-by-indian-authorities-demands-independent-probe/ 

3. https://thehindustangazette.com/latest-news/rohingya-refugees-allegedly-thrown-into-sea-by-indian-authorities-in-forced-deportation-to-myanmar-35475 

4. https://pucl.org/