Scotland’s first minister calls for release of Sikh activist jailed in India for seven years

The UN working group on arbitrary detention in May 2022 found that Johal’s arrest was in breach of human rights law

Jagtar Singh Johal has been imprisoned in India for seven years ((Family handout/PA))

Scotland’s first minister John Swinney has called for the release of a Sikh blogger imprisoned in India for almost seven years.

Jagtar Singh Johal, a 36-year-old activist from Dumbarton, was arrested during a visit to India’s northern state of Punjab in 2017 for allegedly being associated with the banned Sikh separatist group Khalistan Liberation Force. Both the UK government and a UN working group have described him as “arbitrarily detained”.

His family claims he was bundled into an unmarked car and since has been subjected to torture, including electric shocks, during his time in prison. The Indian government has denied he was tortured or mistreated.

After meeting Mr Johal’s family, the first minister said he was “gravely concerned” and joined calls for his immediate release, praising the “resilience” of his relatives.

Mr Johal’s brother Gurpreet Singh Johal, who has persistently campaigned for him to be set free, has seen his X account banned in India in “response to a legal demand”.

Mr Johal’s brother said the UK government had a “responsibility to act” to bring the detained Scotsman home.

Following the general election in July, a Sikh action group called on foreign secretary David Lammy to use his first trip to India to push for Mr Johal’s release.

“The previous government failed our family; I’m hopeful that this government will bring my brother back home to Dumbarton where he belongs,” Gurpreet Singh Johal, a Labour councillor, was quoted by BBC as saying.

The British foreign secretary earlier said he remained “absolutely committed to pushing for faster progress and to resolving this issue”.

The Scottish first minister said it was not a devolved issue but pledged to “use every lever” to call for Mr Johal’s release.

Mr Swinney said: “I am gravely concerned at the continued detention of Jagtar Singh Johal and allegations of his mistreatment and torture in custody.

“Jagtar should be released immediately in line with the recommendations of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.

“Jagtar has now been imprisoned for almost seven years and this remains an extremely difficult and distressing time for his family who have shown extraordinary resilience in the face of this ordeal.”

The UN working group on arbitrary detention in May 2022 found that Mr Johal’s arrest was in breach of human rights law.

“Although this issue is reserved, I and the Scottish government will continue lobbying the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and UK government to use every lever at their disposal to call for Jagtar’s release, and raise the case with Indian authorities on Mr Johal’s behalf,” he said.

Mr Johal was initially arrested in connection with an arms recovery case but later named in seven targeted attack cases, five of them being murder charges related to the separatist movement.

The MI5 and MI6 have been accused of supplying information that led to Mr Johal’s alleged abduction and torture.