Between July 2022 and January 2026, an independent panel of international law and human rights experts conducted a detailed investigation into alleged violations against Muslim communities in Assam and Uttar Pradesh. The panel concluded that these violations amount to crimes against humanity, including persecution, apartheid, and preparation for ethnic cleansing. The findings highlight widespread and systematic abuses, with both states’ executive machinery and police implicated in the violations.
According to Maktoob Media, the panel comprised Sonja Biserko, Marzuki Darusman, and Stephen Rapp, all of whom have significant experience in international human rights investigations. Their report, launched at King’s College London, calls for the United Nations Human Rights Council to mandate an independent fact-finding body to preserve evidence for future accountability and urges third-party states to consider universal jurisdiction proceedings and targeted sanctions.
As reported by Siasat, the panel found credible evidence of systematic discrimination and violence against Muslims in both Assam and Uttar Pradesh. In Assam, violations included arbitrary killings, excessive force during evictions, custodial deaths, torture, and deprivation of nationality, exposing thousands to statelessness. The report documented that over 17,600 Bengali-speaking Muslim families were displaced or forcefully evicted, and at least 2,450 individuals were expelled between May 2025 and January 2026.
Large-scale forced evictions and home demolitions in Assam were identified as potentially constituting the crime of apartheid. Coverage revealed that the Chief Minister’s repeated public characterisation of Muslims as “infiltrators” and existential threats contributed to an environment conducive to ethnic cleansing. The panel noted, “Such rhetoric warrants urgent measures to hold the Chief Minister accountable and stop such violence-inciting speech in the future.”
In Uttar Pradesh, the panel documented 266 unlawful killings through police encounters, with 32 percent of those killed being Muslims. The practice of “half-encounter” maimings by police was described as torture, and the use of punitive demolitions against Muslim protesters was highlighted as a form of summary punishment. Analysis showed that discriminatory enforcement of national security and anti-conversion laws led to prolonged pre-trial detentions and criminalisation of religious freedom.
“The panel concludes that Muslim victims face systematic barriers to justice at every stage and have no realistic prospect of securing redress through existing domestic mechanisms.”
Institutionalised hate speech by senior government officials, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, was also documented. The report recorded over 300 instances of hate speech by these leaders, which the panel stated contributed to the normalisation of anti-Muslim rhetoric and violence. Reporting indicated that such speech may amount to incitement and breaks India’s legal duty to prevent genocide.
The panel recommended that the Indian government fulfil its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Genocide Convention, and the Responsibility to Protect framework. It also called on the Supreme Court of India to expedite constitutional challenges to laws impacting Muslims as a religious minority. Further details show that the panel urged international civil society and human rights bodies to document and report systematic attacks against the community.
“The normalisation of anti-Muslim rhetoric and violence also seems to be resulting in a hardening of discriminatory social attitudes, as several recent all-India surveys confirm.”
In summary, the panel’s findings indicate that the situation in Assam and Uttar Pradesh involves institutionalised discrimination, violence, and deprivation of rights against Muslims, with significant implications for India’s compliance with international human rights law. As details emerged, the panel’s recommendations emphasise the need for urgent remedial action and international oversight to ensure accountability and protection for affected communities.
Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.