Geneva: The United Nations has expressed concern over reports of mass detentions of demonstrators, protest leaders, civil society members, lawyers and journalists in India ahead of and during large-scale demonstrations in Delhi on Sunday.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan called on Indian authorities to fully respect the right to peaceful assembly and ensure that any restrictions on protests meet strict tests of necessity and proportionality.

In a statement issued from Geneva, Al-Kheetan urged law enforcement agencies to exercise utmost restraint while dealing with peaceful protesters, in line with India’s democratic traditions and human rights obligations. The UN also called for the immediate and unconditional release of all those detained arbitrarily.

Al-Kheetan further urged the Indian authorities to engage in meaningful dialogue to address the concerns raised by the protesters.