Amnesty India regrets govt's decision to repatriate asylum-seekers to Myanmar

Amnesty India Monday said that the Indian government's expulsion of Rohingya asylum-seekers to Myanmar shows a disdain for international laws. On January 4, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said a family of Rohingya asylum-seekers from Rakhine state, registered with the UNHCR in India, was sent back to Myanmar after being detained in Assam, where they had been serving a prison term since 2013 for illegal entry into India.

Amnesty India issued a statement saying it regretted India's decision to repatriate the asylum-seekers to Myanmar, where conditions are not conducive for their return. "The fact that the government ignored the UNHCR's requests for access to the family, who were registered as asylum-seekers, is deeply concerning. The government's actions indicate a blatant disregard for the international refugee protection mechanism and the mandate of the UN Refugee Agency," Abhirr V P, senior campaigner, Amnesty India, said.

(With inputs from agencies.)