The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to take up for listening to a petition searching for the quick launch of detained Rohingya in Jammu and Kashmir, and instructions to restrain the Centre from deporting them again to Myanmar. The apex court docket will hear the plea on March 25.
The plea, filed by a Rohingya refugee, Mohammed Salimullah, via Advocate Prashant Bhushan, stated “these refugees have been illegally detained and jailed in the Jammu Sub Jail which has been converted into a holding centre with the IGP (Jammu) Mukesh Singh stating that they face deportation back to Myanmar following verification by their embassy”.
Referring to experiences of their “imminent…deportation”, the plea stated, “This goes against India’s commitment to refugee protection and its obligations against refouling refugees to a place where they face persecution and is a violation of the Article 21 rights of all Rohingya persons living in India.”
Though there will be nationwide safety exceptions to the non-refoulement rule, “any” such “exception” “must be rigorously and carefully proved”, the plea stated.
Earlier this month, the J&Ok administration arrange “holding centres” beneath the Foreigners Act within the Hiranagar sub-jail in Kathua, and rounded up 168 Rohingya refugees, together with ladies and youngsters, from Jammu and positioned them there.
A senior authorities official advised The Indian Express, “These immigrants were not holding valid passports required in terms of Section (3) of the Passports Act.”
