The Indigenous Rights and Protected Areas Initiative of the Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy Programme (IPLP) at the University of Arizona’s James E Rogers College of Law has condemned the arrest of indigenous human rights defender Pranab Doley and called for his immediate and unconditional release. Doley, who is also the convener of the Greater Kaziranga Land and Human Rights Protection Committee, was arrested by the Assam Police on July 13 in connection with a criminal case registered at the Bokakhat police station on June 29.
Doley has been booked under numerous provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including counts of criminal conspiracy, unlawful assembly, rioting, obstruction of and assault on public servants, mischief, criminal trespass, and criminal intimidation. The arrest follows Doley’s leadership of the peaceful movement of Adivasi and indigenous farming families opposing the proposed luxury hotel development at Inglay (Ingle) Pathar, on the fringes of the Kaziranga National Park.
The Indigenous Rights and Protected Areas Initiative of the IPLP stated that the arrest of Doley while the matter is sub judice is capable of having a serious chilling effect on the ability of the affected families to pursue their claims. The organization called upon the Government of India and the Government of Assam to immediately and unconditionally release Doley, and withdraw all charges arising from the legitimate and peaceful exercise of his rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association and to the defence of indigenous peoples’ rights.
The organization further urged the government to ensure that any proceedings against Doley comply fully with the guarantees of due process and fair trial under Indian and international law, and that the circumstances of his arrest, including the reported absence of a warrant, are independently reviewed. The IPLP also cited international obligations, including the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, which affirm the rights of indigenous peoples to their lands, territories and resources, and the right of everyone to promote and strive for the protection of human rights.
The organization called upon the National Human Rights Commission of India, National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, the UN special rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, the UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights to monitor this case closely and to engage the Government of India. The IPLP expressed solidarity with Doley, his family, and with the indigenous and Adivasi communities of the Kaziranga landscape, and stated that it will continue to raise this case in every international forum available until he is free.
Doley belongs to the Mising community of Assam and holds a master of social work from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences. He has founded and co-founded organisations including the Centre for North East Studies and Policy Advocacy, the All Kaziranga Affected Communities’ Rights Committee, the People Ecology Network and the Jyoti Bishnu Cultural and Research Centre. In November 2025, he represented affected communities from India at the UN Forum on Business and Human Rights in Geneva.
