By: Camp Correspondent
May 14, 2025 —
The human rights organization Fortify Rights has issued a strong appeal to the Indian government to immediately end the arbitrary arrest, detention, and deportation of Rohingya refugees, warning that such actions violate international law and expose vulnerable communities to renewed persecution.
In a statement released on Monday, Fortify Rights reported that Indian authorities began detaining Rohingya refugees in New Delhi on May 6, and have since deported some of them to Myanmar—the very country they fled due to genocide.
The organization alleges that Indian officials used abusive methods during the deportations, including beating, blindfolding, and handcuffing Rohingya refugees before transferring them across borders.
“The Indian government is handing Rohingya refugees to the same forces in Myanmar responsible for the genocide against them,” said Yap Lay Sheng, a human rights defender with Fortify Rights.
“India has international legal obligations to protect refugees and must immediately stop the forced returns of Rohingya to Myanmar.”
The Rohingya, a stateless Muslim minority from Myanmar’s Rakhine State, have long endured systemic discrimination and military violence. Since 2017, more than 700,000 Rohingya have fled to neighboring countries, including Bangladesh and India, following mass killings, village burnings, and widespread sexual violence—acts that the United Nations and rights groups have described as genocide.
Despite these international findings, India has not granted refugee status to the Rohingya and continues to detain them under the Foreigners Act. Human rights organizations have repeatedly criticized the Indian government’s treatment of Rohingya asylum seekers, urging adherence to international human rights and refugee protection laws.
Fortify Rights emphasized the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits returning individuals to a country where they face serious threats to life or freedom. The group called on India to halt deportations, provide temporary protection, and ensure access to legal recourse and humanitarian aid for all Rohingya refugees currently in India.
As tensions escalate, fear and uncertainty loom over the Rohingya community in India. Many remain in detention or in hiding, uncertain of their future and fearful of being sent back into the hands of those who once tried to erase them.
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