GENEVA: A United Nations rights expert on Monday slammed India’s years-long detention of a rights activist with disabilities as “inhumane”, citing grave concerns for his health and demanding his immediate release.

Mary Lawlor, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, raised the alarm about the nearly decade-long detention of Gokarakonda Naga “GN” Saibaba, a long-standing defender of the rights of minorities in India.

“India’s persistent detention of human rights defender GN Saibaba is an inhumane and senseless act,” the independent expert’s statement said.

“His continued detention is shameful. It bears all the hallmarks of a State seeking to silence a critical voice,” she said.