Amnesty International believes that those arrested in Baroda and other parts of Gujarat in the past 48 hours have been detained solely on the grounds that they are planning to exercise their right to freedom of opinion and expression, and freedom of peaceful assembly and association. On this basis, the organisation is calling for their immediate and unconditional release.

In its letter Amnesty International has drawn attention to Articles 19 and 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which provide that everyone has the right to freedom of opinon and expression and the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association. These rights are reflected in Article 19 of the Constitution of India.