On 4th of January in 2024, Farook College in Kozhikode and activists of the fraternity movement the student wing of the welfare party of India gathered near the Beach starbucks store in Kozhikode, and set up posters of “Free Palestine”; “Caution Contents May Fund Genocide”. The students tried to create a video highlighting a brand supporting the genocidal war on Gaza as Starbucks has faced global boycott pressure for its perceived pro -Israel stance during the Gaza conflict. And Starbucks filed a lawsuit earlier against workers for a pro-Palestinian protest.

A case was filed by the Starbucks officials at Kozhikode Town Police Station under sections house-trespass (IPC 448), wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot (IPC 153), mischief causing damage (IPC 427), and acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention (IPC 34) against Waseem Manssor, Fathima Meharin and 4 other students.

The Right to Protest is an essential element of the right to participate in any democratic dispensation and it is recognized under several international instruments including the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (Article 8), Article 5 (a) of the Declaration of Human Rights Defenders 1998.

HRDA urgently appealed to NHRC to exercise Section 12 (a) of the Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Act, 2019, and take suo moto cognizance of this incident and initiate an independent inquiry through NHRC’s investigation wing because it is believed that registration of an FIR and arrest of the students is an act of reprisal against them.