141 Civil Society Groups Demand UNHCR Investigate India Office for Alleged Breach of Refugee Confidentiality
July 4, Yangon Khit Thit Media
A total of 141 civil society organizations have submitted a formal letter of complaint to the UNHCR Headquarters against its India office, alleging that it transferred confidential personal data of Myanmar refugees to the Indian government—actions they claim have directly endangered the lives and safety of those seeking protection.
According to the advocacy group India for Myanmar, the UNHCR India office shared sensitive personal information of registered refugees—including political dissidents, human rights defenders, and others in need of special protection—with Indian authorities. The complaint highlights that these actions have led to arbitrary arrests, detentions, deportations, and even deaths.
A representative from India for Myanmar told Khit Thit Media,
“The fact that UNHCR shared refugee data with authorities is extremely dangerous. If such transfers must happen under rare circumstances, they should come with guarantees that the data will not be used for arrests or deportations. However, the Indian government has clearly used this information to target Rohingya and pro-democracy Myanmar nationals. This is unacceptable.”
The complaint alleges that of the over 10,000 Myanmar nationals who fled to India following the 2021 military coup and sought asylum through UNHCR India, 261 have been arrested under India’s Foreigners Act based on data obtained via UNHCR. These include six women who gave birth in prison, and two men who died while in custody.
Most alarming, the letter states, was the forcible deportation of 134 Myanmar refugees—including political activists—back into the hands of the Myanmar junta, a blatant violation of the international principle of non-refoulement, which forbids returning refugees to places where their lives may be at risk. Of those deported, 34 remain in detention by the junta, while 125 are still held in Indian immigration centers, despite having completed sentences.
Furthermore, on May 6, Indian authorities reportedly raided homes and detained 40 Rohingya refugees, deporting them back to Myanmar. These arrests were allegedly made possible through access to UNHCR data, leading to widespread fear and displacement among the Rohingya community. Many are now in hiding or living without shelter to avoid capture.
Since June 13, 2025, Indian authorities have intensified their pressure on Myanmar refugee communities—conducting house raids, summoning asylum seekers to the Foreigners Registration Office (FRRO), and imposing restrictions on travel and relocation, particularly in and around New Delhi.
The letter accuses UNHCR India and its local partner, the Socio-Legal Information Centre (SLIC), of gross negligence, claiming that repeated emails and phone calls from refugees seeking protection have gone unanswered.
The groups cite multiple violations of UNHCR’s own codes of conduct and international refugee law, including:
- Breach of confidentiality
- Failure of duty of care
- Violation of the non-refoulement principle
The 141 signatories are calling on UNHCR leadership to:
- Immediately halt any further data sharing with the Indian government without full legal safeguards;
- Launch an independent investigation into UNHCR India’s handling of refugee data;
- Hold accountable any staff involved in violations of refugee protection standards;
- Provide urgent protection and legal assistance to Myanmar asylum seekers currently at risk in India.
The joint statement concluded:
“UNHCR is the last hope for refugees. We strongly urge the High Commissioner to act swiftly so that this hope is not extinguished and lives are not lost.”
