Indian authorities have expelled scores of ethnic Rohingya refugees to Bangladesh and Myanmar without rights protections since May 2025, Human Rights Watch said today. The authorities have arbitrarily detained several hundred more, mistreating some of them.

In May, states in India governed by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) initiated a campaign to expel Rohingya and Bengali-speaking Muslims for being “illegal immigrants.” Those expelled to Bangladesh included at least 192 Rohingya refugees despite being registered with the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR). The authorities also put 40 Rohingya refugees on a ship near the Myanmar coast and forced them to swim ashore. Dozens more have fled to Bangladesh to avoid the crackdown.

“The Indian government’s expulsion of Rohingya refugees shows an utter disregard for human life and international law,” said Elaine pearsonAsia director at Human Rights Watch. “The actions taken against these refugees, who have fled atrocities and persecution in Myanmar, reflects the ruling BJP’s policy to demonize Muslims as ‘illegal’ migrants.”

Human Rights Watch interviewed nine Rohingya men and women in the Cox’s Bazar refugee camps in Bangladesh who had recently arrived from India. Six who had been expelled in May alleged that Indian authorities assaulted them and seized their money, mobile phones, and UNHCR registration cards. The other three fled to Bangladesh,one each from Jammu and Kashmir,Andhra Pradesh,and Delhi,fearing arbitrary detention after police threatened them.

an estimated 40,000 Rohingya live in Indiaat least 20,000 of whom are registered with the UN refugee agency. Although India is not a party to the 1951 UN Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol, India is bound by the customary international law principle of nonrefoulement, which prohibits countries from returning or expelling people to places where they face threats to their lives or freedom.

A 37-year-old Rohingya woman who had been detained in Goalpara district in India’s Assam State,said that Indian Border Security Force officials forced her,her husband,and their three children into Bangladesh at gunpoint on the night of May 6.“When my husband asked the officials where we should go, as we had no money and didn’t no the area, they were forcing us to cross, they slapped him so hard he still can’t hear properly,” she said. “They threatened to kill us if we spoke further.”

The family had fled Myanmar in 2012 to escape the military’s ethnic cleansing campaign against the Rohingya in Rakhine State, but ended up detained for over a decade in jails in Assam.

On May 6, Indian authorities arbitrarily detained 40 Muslim and Christian Rohingya refugees, including 13 women, in Delhi under the pretext of collecting data needed to identify them.The authorities flew the Rohingya to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and forced them to board an Indian naval vessel there, which set sail. The ship’s crew allegedly beat and interrogated them. A Rohingya Christian man in Delhi whose brother was among those expelled told human Rights Watch that onc the ship was close to the Myanmar coast,the crew gave the refugees life jackets and then tossed them into the sea.

The refugees swam ashore, reaching Launglon township in Myanmar’s Tanintharyi Region. One used a fisherman’s phone to contact family members. “We were treated like the worst criminals,” he told a relative. “One officer said, ‘No one will speak for you. No one will hold us accountable if we kill you all.’ Some of us could swim and helped those who could not reach the shore.” The UN special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, Tom Andrews, said the incident demonstrated “blatant disregard for the lives and safety of those who require international protection.”

Fearing arbitrary arrests, some Rohingya families decided to flee India for Bangladesh. They said police beat and violently mistreated those fleeing. A Rohingya man, 40, a UNHCR-registered refugee who lived in Hyderabad, set out on May 15 with his wife and two children by train with a Rohingya group. though,the police detained the group at a railway station in Tripura State,took details needed to identify them,and then beat them.“They even beat my 4-year-old daughter,” he said. “They insulted the women, too. They took our phones and my 20,000 Indian rupees [US$230]. They took everything, even a school

Human Rights watch criticizes India Over Rohingya Refugee Treatment

Human Rights Watch has strongly criticized the Indian government for its treatment of Rohingya refugees, alleging intimidation, arbitrary detention, and unlawful deportations. The organization is also calling for an inquiry into claims that Rohingya refugees have been ill-treated and abandoned at sea.

Publication Date: 2025/08/29 03:47:55

Allegations of Mistreatment and Deportations

Human Rights Watch reports that Indian authorities have been increasingly cracking down on Rohingya refugees, despite the risks they face upon return to Myanmar. The organization specifically points to instances of intimidation, arbitrary detention, and unlawful expulsions.These actions violate international law, which prohibits the return of refugees to situations where their lives or freedoms would be threatened – a principle known as non-refoulement.

The criticism comes after india’s Supreme Court dismissed petitions seeking to halt deportations and downplayed allegations that Rohingya refugees were abandoned at sea, labeling the claims a “beautifully crafted story.”

The Situation in Myanmar

The Rohingya are a stateless ethnic minority group, primarily residing in Myanmar’s Rakhine State. They have faced decades of persecution, culminating in a brutal military crackdown in 2017 that the United Nations has described as a genocide. This crackdown forced hundreds of thousands of Rohingya to flee to neighboring Bangladesh and other countries, including India.

Human Rights Watch’s Recommendations

Phil robertson, Deputy Asia Director at Human Rights Watch, urged the Indian government to change its approach. “The Indian government should immediately end the intimidation, arbitrary detention, and unlawful expulsions of all Rohingya refugees and impartially investigate allegations that they were ill-treated,” Robertson said. He further emphasized the need for India to recognize Rohingya as refugees and collaborate with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to protect their rights.

Understanding the Role of UNHCR

The UNHCR is the UN Refugee Agency, mandated to protect refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people, and to assist in their search for durable solutions. Working with UNHCR would provide Rohingya refugees in India with access to essential services, legal protection, and potential resettlement opportunities.

Key Takeaways

• India is facing criticism for its treatment of Rohingya refugees.
• Human Rights Watch alleges intimidation, arbitrary detention, and unlawful deportations.
• The Indian Supreme Court has dismissed concerns about the safety of deported Rohingya.
• The Rohingya are a persecuted ethnic minority group from Myanmar, facing ongoing risks of violence and human rights abuses.
• Human Rights Watch calls for India to recognize Rohingya as refugees and work with UNHCR.

Looking Ahead

The situation of the Rohingya refugees in India remains precarious. Continued pressure from international human rights organizations and a willingness from the Indian government to engage with UNHCR are crucial to ensuring the safety and well-being of this vulnerable population. The international community must also continue to address the root causes of the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar to create conditions conducive to their safe and dignified return.