India: The mandate calls for safeguarding environmental defenders and upholding freedom of assembly

Posted on by Gina Romero

The Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association recently led a series of communications addressed to the governments of India, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, as well as to six oil companies, regarding alleged human rights violations linked to the petrochemical megaproject in Barsu, India.

In April 2023, environmental defenders, journalists, and local communities organized peaceful protests against the construction of a refinery and petrochemical plant. The protests were met with arbitrary detentions, excessive use of force, and repression — violating fundamental rights.

The project, led by Ratnagiri Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (RRPCL) together with companies such as IOCL, BPCL, HPCL, Saudi Aramco, and ADNOC, could have serious impacts on biodiversity, food security, fishing, and the cultural heritage of the Konkan region, as well as contribute to the global climate crisis.

The communications urged States to protect defenders, ensure access to information and justice for affected communities, and carry out rigorous environmental and social impact assessments. Companies were reminded of their responsibility to respect human rights in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

The mandate emphasizes that economic development can never justify repression or environmental destruction. The rights to peaceful assembly, a healthy environment, and prior consultation must be fully respected.

You can read the communications here:

– India: https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=29556

– Saudi Arabia: https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=29564

– United Arab Emirates: https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=29565

– Oil companies:

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Gina Romero