According to the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the death of tribal rights activist Stan Swamy would forever remain a blot on India's human rights record.
The statements were made at the group's November 16 meeting, and they were made public earlier this week.
Swamy died on July 5, almost nine months after being detained under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, in a Mumbai hospital while in police custody.
The 84-year-old had Parkinson's illness and had got the coronavirus infection in the Taloja jail in Navi Mumbai.
In the Bhima Koregaon case, Swamy was one of the defendants.
According to the United Nations working committee, the activist died in "completely avoidable circumstances."
His bail petitions were frequently denied, and his appeals for medical care after contracting Covid-19 were also originally denied, according to the report. "It was too late when the request was finally approved," the working group said.
The UN working committee highlighted that it had encouraged the government in May to prioritise the use of non-custodial options throughout the criminal justice process.
"The government's unwillingness to heed these forewarnings resulted in Father Swamy's needless death in detention," the report stated.
According to the working committee, Swamy's arrest breached Articles 2 and 7 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The sections address the right to freedom from discrimination based on religion or political viewpoint, as well as the right to equal protection under the law.
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