UK Urged to Act as British Sikh Activist Faces Solitary Confinement in India
Jagtar Singh Johal, detained for over seven years, faces worsening conditions despite a recent acquittal, with allegations of torture and duplicate charges prolonging his imprisonment.
- Jagtar Singh Johal, a British national and Sikh rights activist, has been detained in India since 2017 on terrorism charges, with human rights groups alleging torture and forced confessions.
- Despite being acquitted in one case last month, Johal remains imprisoned under eight additional charges, which advocacy groups claim are duplicates based on coerced evidence.
- Johal has been placed in solitary confinement with 24-hour surveillance, leading to concerns about his physical and mental well-being, according to his family.
- The UK government has been criticized for its lack of urgency and decisive action, with Johal's family urging faster diplomatic efforts to secure his release.
- A UN panel previously ruled Johal's detention arbitrary in 2022, and human rights organizations continue to call for his immediate release and independent investigations into his treatment.