Hyderabad, July 18 -- A group of UN human rights experts on Friday, July 17, called for the release of five Indigenous rights defenders detained in Assam, saying their arrest in connection with protests against a luxury hotel project near Kaziranga National Park could have a chilling effect on civic space in India.

The experts named the five as Pranab Doley, Rajib Pegu, Brijit Kutum, Amit Nag and Bhaskar Saikia, all arrested by Assam Police in connection with protests on June 29 against a planned tourism project at Inglay Pathar, on the fringes of the national park.

"We are deeply concerned by reports that Indigenous human rights defenders have been deprived of their liberty in connection with their peaceful advocacy on behalf of Indige...