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."
At least 11 people, including eight children, have been killed after a powerful explosion at a firecracker fact...
Recovery teams are continuing operations in Grand Canyon National Park after flash floods swept through parts of the canyon over the weekend, leavi...
Türkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have formalised their new defensive alliance at the grouping’s first high-level meeting held Monday i...
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan have concluded talks in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, as leaders gather for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.
Iran has reached an understanding with Oman on transit arrangements through the Strait of Hormuz, but the waterway will remain closed until the U.S. fulfils its commitments, a senior Iranian diplomat said on Saturday.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused U.S. government and Israel-aligned actors of manipulating energy markets to promote the war with Iran.
Russian strikes on the Kyiv region overnight killed 37 people, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said. Zelenskyy added that the Ukrainian capital was under "virtually nonstop attack" from drones.
U.S. forces struck two Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island on Sunday, with Tehran responding by launching ballistic missiles at two U.S. bases in Jordan in the first direct U.S.-Iran military escalation in weeks.
At least 11 people, including eight children, have been killed after a powerful explosion at a firecracker factory in northern India, authorities said, with rescue teams continuing to search through debris amid fears the toll could rise.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan have concluded talks in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, as leaders gather for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.
Qatar has discussed potential investment in Afghanistan’s oil and gas sectors and the construction of a crude oil refinery, during talks in Kabul as Gulf businesses show growing interest in the Afghan market.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has marked the 104th anniversary of Victory Day, honouring the decisive military victory that helped pave the way for the establishment of the Republic of Türkiye.
Uzbekistan has been named one of the world’s leading destinations for solo travelers, ranking fifth in the 2026 Solo Travel Index compiled by international travel platform Much Better Adventures.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment