Campaigners fighting for the release of a Scot banged up in an Indian jail have urged Rishi Sunak to raise his case when he meets the Indian Prime Minister at the G20 in New Dehli.
Jagtar Singh Johal, from Dumbarton, was locked up in 2017 amid accusations he was involved in a political murder plot in Punjab, northern India.
His family insist he was detained and tortured over his activism and campaigning for Sikh human rights.
But Indian officials have accused him of being involved in a murder plot and charged him under the country’s Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.
His family and groups fighting for his release say he has been tortured. He could also be waiting up to 40 years for his trial process to be over.
SNP MP Martin Docherty-Hughes organised a meeting in Westminster last night between human rights groups Reprieve, Redress and Sikhs in Scotland.
Reprieve legal and policy officer Jack Steele said Tory Prime Minister Rishi Sunak should raise the issue with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the G20 in September.
He said: “What we think might be useful in trying to get to move their position on Jagtar and make the clear call for his release in the next few months, is to take advantage of the G20 summit in New Delhi, which is happening from September 9 to 10.
“We very rarely get that sort of advance foresight of direct representation or opportunity for direct representation with the Indian Government and we’re hoping that we can build as much parliamentary pressure in the intervening months to try and get the Prime Minister to follow the published policy of the [Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office] to make a clear call for Jagtar’s release.
“As I said at the beginning, we think that’s the only way that the goalposts on Jagtar’s case can possibly be moved.”
The meeting was attended by MPs for various parties, including the SNP's Alison Thewliss and Patrick Grady, the Scottish Lib Dems Christine Jardine and Alistair Carmichael and the Tories' David Davis.
Docherty-Hughes said "there's a direct link" between the UK Government not pushing for Jagtar's release and attempts to get a trade deal with India.
The Prime Minister’s Official spokesperson said: “We have a close relationship with India, we’re obviously keen to increase the number of trade deals we have around the world but I’m not going to get into specifics on that one ahead of the meeting later this year.”
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