NEW DELHI: The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) has expressed serious concerns regarding reports of large-scale human rights violations committed by law enforcement officials against various ethnic and ethno-religious groups, Indigenous and Tribal Peoples, including Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes—particularly Dalits—and non-citizens in India. The report is also expresses concern about rights violations in Kuwait, Finland and Honduras.
The report indicates that incidents of hate crimes and extrajudicial overreach by Indian authorities have escalated following a Union Home Ministry order in 2017 and the Pahalgam terror attack.
The CERD report alleges the involvement of law enforcement authorities in racially motivated violence, excessive use of force, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary and prolonged detention without due process, torture, ill-treatment, and sexual violence.
The Committee has called on India to promptly conduct thorough and impartial investigations into all such allegations and to ensure accountability for those responsible.
Additionally, the Committee urged India to urgently address discrimination, hate speech, and hate crimes against Rohingya people, Bengali-speaking Muslims, migrants, and asylum-seekers, particularly in light of the 2017 Home Affairs order and the April 2025 Pahalgam attack in Kashmir.
The report highlights that police involvement in racial profiling has resulted in arbitrary arrests and detention without due process, as well as instances of torture and ill-treatment.
There are also concerns regarding the deportation and forcible return of individuals in need of international protection, which violates the principle of non-refoulement.
In addition to India, the Committee issued findings on Finland, Honduras, and Kuwait after reviewing these four States Parties during its latest session.
Regarding Finland, the Committee raised concerns about the deprivation of the Sámi community's traditional lands and resources. The Finnish government has not allowed this community adequate self-determination or participation in decision-making processes. The expansion of wind power and mining projects has occurred without sufficient free, prior, and informed consent.
The Committee called on Finland to reform its Criminal Code, effectively investigate and prosecute instances of racist hate speech, incitement to racial hatred, and racially motivated violence, and ensure that racial motivation is properly identified and recorded.
In Kuwait, the Committee underscored the persistent discrimination faced by migrant workers, particularly domestic workers, who are at heightened risk of exploitation and abuse under the kafala sponsorship system. Reports of physical, psychological, and sexual violence, along with non-payment or delayed payment of wages and excessive working hours, have been highlighted. The Committee urged Kuwait to abolish the kafala system and replace it with a government-regulated residency and work permit system that better protects migrant workers.
For Honduras, the Committee expressed concern about forced evictions of Indigenous and Afro-Honduran Peoples, including allegations of excessive use of force by law enforcement officials.
The Committee is also worried about the high number of killings, reprisals, threats, and acts of intimidation against human rights defenders, including Indigenous and Afro-Honduran leaders and community members, perpetrated by both State and
