AN SNP MP will call on the UK government to urgently act on the imprisonment of his West Dunbartonshire constituent, Jagtar Singh Johal, who has been detained in India for more than five years.
Martin Docherty-Hughes MP will use a general debate at Westminster to call for Johal’s immediate release, stating that the legal case around his arbitrary detention is now beyond doubt.
Despite Boris Johnson previously acknowledging the arbitrary detention of Johal – also known as Jaggi - and Liz Truss meeting with the family last year, Rishi Sunak has yet to reach out since becoming Prime Minister.
Jaggi was detained under India’s anti-terrorism laws following his arrest in November 2017, accused of helping fund a Sikh-on-Hindu assassination plot – something he strongly denies.
The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has determined that Johal’s detention "lacks legal basis", was based on “discriminatory grounds” owing to his Sikh faith and his “status as a human rights defender”, and that he was “subjected to torture”.
International human rights groups ‘Reprieve and Redress’ have called on the UK government to intervene urgently in the case, citing concerns that Johal faces trumped-up political charges carrying the death penalty.
Speaking ahead of the debate Docherty-Hughes said: “My constituent Jagtar’s case is turning into one of the most prominent miscarriages of justice of our time.
“After 5 years of incarceration in India without trial, believed tortured, this young Scot from Dumbarton is at risk of facing the death penalty. “The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has made clear that Jagtar’s detention ‘lacks legal basis’ and that he has been ‘subjected to torture’.
“This cannot continue. The UK government needs to catch up with the legal consensus and urgently change its strategy.
“We witnessed first-hand, through the case of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori, that the UK government can bring their people home. We must see a similar approach with Mr Johal.
“Jagtar Singh Johal and his family have suffered for too long - it is time to bring him home.”
A Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson said:
“We have consistently raised our concerns about Mr Johal’s case directly with the Government of India, including his allegations of torture and his right to a fair trial - we are committed to doing what we can to assist him. The Foreign Secretary visited India and raised his case with External Affairs Minister Jaishankar on 29 October 2022.
“The UK strongly opposes the death penalty in all circumstances as a matter of principle and we will continue to make this clear to the Government of India.”
