Supreme Court Issues Notice To Central Government Over Indefinite Detention Of Rohingya Refugees

The Supreme Court of India has issued a notice to the Central Government regarding a petition challenging the indefinite detention of Rohingya refugees, many of whom have been held for over two years. The court has requested a response within four weeks.

The petition, filed by advocate Ujjayini Chatterjee, highlights severe issues faced by the detained refugees, including inadequate medical facilities and other hardships. It also reports two recent deaths among the detainees: a one-week-old minor in Jammu and a Rohingya resident in Delhi. The petitioners have urged the court to take these fatalities into account.

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The petition argues that the continued detention of refugees—including youth, women, and children—violates legal procedures and human rights standards. It calls for the immediate release of Rohingya detainees who have been in custody for more than two years. Additionally, it seeks detailed information about all indefinitely detained Rohingyas, including their names, genders, ages, detention orders, and communication with the Myanmar embassy regarding deportation.

Furthermore, the petition requests that the government either process the refugee status claims of the detained Rohingyas within three months as per the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) 2019 or provide them with long-term visas or resettle them in a third country.

The Supreme Court’s notice underscores the gravity of the issues raised and will further examine the conditions and legal status of the Rohingya refugees in custody.