United Nations experts have urged the Indian authorities to release Jagtar Singh Johal, who was arrested in Punjab in late 2017 and has remained in prison since. Allegations have been made that he was tortured and threatened with death in custody.
Johal, a Scottish Sikh activist, was accused of plotting terrorist attacks against right-wing Hindu leaders. He was acquitted of terrorism charges by the District Court in Moga, Punjab, in March 2025, but remains in prison while other cases continue. His legal team says all remaining charges should be dropped.
Post from Reprievehq and FreeJaggiNow campaign
Ten UN independent experts, including special rapporteurs focused on torture prevention, said in a joint statement that the 39-year-old had been arbitrarily detained for more than eight years. They said his continued imprisonment raised concerns about the misuse of anti-terrorism law, the presumption of innocence and the prospect of him effectively being retried on similar allegations.
His brother, Gurpreet Singh Johal, met Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper in December as part of efforts to secure his release.
Johal and his supporters have said he has spoken out about the treatment of Sikhs and other minorities in India, and has advocated for human rights.
A spokesperson for the Baku Initiative Group, based in Azerbaijan, told AnewZ:
"Baku Initiative Group expresses its serious concern over continued detention of Scottish citizen of Sikh origin, blogger, and human rights defender Jagtar Singh Johal, and affirms its support for the call made by United Nations experts for his immediate release."
They said no state could rely on national security to avoid accountability or justify prolonged deprivation of liberty, and that extended detention could amount to an abuse of international law.
"Accordingly, Baku Initiative Group calls upon government of India to release Mr. Jagtar Singh Johal without further delay, to withdraw any remaining charges that lack a lawful and substantiated basis, and to ensure the conduct of an independent, impartial, and effective investigation into the treatment he has received while in custody," they added.
The Indian government has repeatedly denied that Johal was mistreated and has said due process has been followed.
A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: "We continue to raise concerns about Mr Johal's prolonged detention at every appropriate opportunity with the government of India.
"We have made clear that faster progress is needed to reach a resolution, including a full investigation into Mr Johal's allegations of torture."
U.S. President Donald Trump said he does not think he will need China's help to end the war with Iran as he le...
A new trilateral energy partnership involving Uzbekneftegaz, Azerbaijan’s state oil company SOCAR and BP has been announced during Uzbekistan...
The Spanish government has issued a defiant message to Silicon Valley, confirming it...
Türkiye has completed formal preparations to begin direct commercial activity w...
After Labour's devastating performance in the 8 May local elections, the party's internal architecture has...
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has significantly reduced the size of his motorcade to save fuel, a government source said on Wednesday, days after urging citizens to adopt austerity measures amid surging energy prices linked to the Iran war.
Divisions over the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran are set to overshadow a two-day meeting of the BRICS group of emerging economies in the Indian capital New Delhi on Thursday (14 May).
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit five countries, including the United Arab Emirates and several European states, from 15–20 May, as rising oil prices driven by the Middle East conflict puts pressure on India’s foreign reserves, the Foreign Ministry said.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung begins crucial bilateral talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Monday, marking the first South Korean state visit to India in eight years.
Kuwait arrested four members of an IRGC-linked group as they tried to enter the country by sea, the Gulf state's KUNA news agency reported on Tuesday. Meanwhile, a senior IRGC officer said Iran had expanded its definition of the Strait of Hormuz to include a far wider area.
Biological samples from an Italian man were transferred to a specialist hospital for testing on Tuesday, after he was suspected of contracting hantavirus. Meanwhile, World Health Organization boss Tedros Ghebreyesus said there were “no sign” of a larger outbreak linked to the MV Hondius cruise.
Exclusive flight-tracking material obtained by AnewZ has raised new questions about French military aircraft movements linked to President Emmanuel Macron’s recent diplomacy with Armenia and the wider scope of France’s defence cooperation with Yerevan.
Just one week after a similar move by Australia, Greece announced that it will ban access to social media for children under the age of 15 from January 1, 2027, as governments around the world weigh tougher rules amid growing concerns over mental health, safety and screen addiction.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he does not think he will need China's help to end the war with Iran as he left for a high-stakes summit in Beijing on Tuesday, as hopes for a lasting peace deal dwindled and Tehran tightened its grip over the Strait of Hormuz.
Türkiye has completed formal preparations to begin direct commercial activity with Armenia, a Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Wednesday, marking another step in the slow but steady normalisation of ties between the two neighbours.
A new trilateral energy partnership involving Uzbekneftegaz, Azerbaijan’s state oil company SOCAR and BP has been announced during Uzbekistan Energy Week 2026 in Tashkent.
The number of dead Caspian seals discovered along Kazakhstan’s section of the Caspian Sea continues to rise, with the latest findings reported near the Karazhanbas and Buzachi oilfields in the Mangystau region.
This is the third and final article in AnewZ’s series examining the fight for access to treatment for children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy in Georgia, and the irreversible human cost of delay.
Former Georgia rugby captain Merab Sharikadze has been banned for 11 years after an anti-doping probe uncovered sample swapping in the national team. Several other players and the Georgian Rugby Union were also sanctioned
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment