UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has come under pressure to call for the release of Jagtar Singh Johal, a British citizen who has been imprisoned in India for over seven years.
The 38-year-old from Dumbarton has been detained since 2017 on terrorism charges linked to the banned Khalistani Liberation Force, a group advocating for an independent Sikh state.
Despite being acquitted of one of the charges earlier this year, Johal remains incarcerated under multiple pending cases, with his family and supporters demanding urgent diplomatic intervention to secure his release.
Who is Jagtar Singh Johal?
Jagtar Singh Johal, a campaigner for Sikh rights, was arrested in India’s Punjab state in 2017, just weeks after his wedding, on accusations of involvement with the Khalistani Liberation Force.
Indian authorities have charged him with conspiracy and financing terrorist activities, including attacks on Hindu nationalists.
However, Johal has consistently denied the allegations, maintaining that he is being politically persecuted for his activism in support of Sikh rights.
Earlier this year, a district court in Moga, Punjab, acquitted Johal of charges related to a 2013 money transfer to Paris, intended to fund attacks.
The court ruled that prosecutors had failed to provide credible evidence to link him to any terrorist activities. Johal is still trapped in an ongoing legal limbo, with eight additional cases pending against him, many based on the same allegations.
What are the claims against him?
Johal’s detention has been marred by claims of mistreatment. His family alleges that he has endured physical and mental torture during his time in prison, including the use of electric shocks.
In 2022, a UN panel ruled that Johal was “arbitrarily detained,” a designation that has sparked calls for his release from human rights groups.
Furthermore, Johal’s family has raised concerns about the involvement of UK intelligence services in his arrest.
They claim that MI5 and MI6 shared information with Indian authorities, leading to his detention under what they describe as dubious circumstances.
Despite his acquittal in one case, Johal continues to face trial on multiple counts, with the family describing the legal process as “Kafkaesque” due to its repetitive nature.
His supporters argue that these ongoing cases are a form of judicial harassment, aimed at keeping him in prison indefinitely without any substantial evidence.
Diplomatic intervention
As Starmer prepares for his visit to India, which includes meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a focus on a new trade deal between the two nations, pressure is mounting for the British leader to raise Johal’s case during his trip.
Jagtar’s brother, Gurpreet Singh Johal, has urged the Prime Minister to take a strong stand in securing Jagtar’s release, pointing to recent high-profile releases of British citizens abroad, such as British-Egyptian activist Alaa Abd El-Fattah and an elderly British couple detained by the Taliban.
“Keir Starmer has all the ammunition he needs to stand up for Jagtar and bring him back home,” Gurpreet told The Independent “No evidence has been produced in eight years, and it’s time for the UK government to demand his release.”
Legal campaign groups, such as Reprieve, have also backed the call for high-level diplomatic intervention, noting that Jagtar’s lengthy detention is a violation of international human rights standards.
Reprieve’s deputy director, Dan Dolan, emphasised the importance of diplomacy at the highest levels in securing the release of British citizens detained abroad, especially when legal avenues have proven unsuccessful.