Yousaf vows to maintain lobbying India for launch of jailed Scottish Sikh blogger
S
cotland’s First Minister has vowed to maintain lobbying for the discharge of a Scottish Sikh blogger who has been jailed in India for greater than 5 years.
Humza Yousaf made the pledge throughout a gathering with the brother of Jagtar Singh Johal on the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday afternoon.
Mr Singh Johal from Dumbarton was in Punjab in northern India for his marriage ceremony in 2017 when his household say he was arrested and bundled into an unmarked automobile.
The Sikh Federation (UK) says Mr Singh Johal was kidnapped by Indian plain garments law enforcement officials whereas purchasing together with his spouse Gurpreet Kaur.
He mentioned he has been tortured, together with via electrical shocks, and faces the loss of life penalty over his activism and campaigning for Sikh human rights.
Following his assembly with Gurpreet Singh Johal on Tuesday, Mr Yousaf mentioned the Scottish Government has raised the case instantly with the Indian Government on quite a few events and would proceed lobbying the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and UK Government “to use every lever at their disposal to call for Jagtar’s release”.
“Jagtar Singh Johal has now been imprisoned for more than 2,000 days, and I remain gravely concerned at his continued detention and allegations of his mistreatment and torture in custody,” the First Minister mentioned in an announcement.
“I know this has been an extremely difficult and distressing time for his family, and their resilience in the face of this ordeal has been extraordinary.
“We continue to call for Jagtar’s immediate release in line with the recommendations of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.”
The Government has been criticised for taking a “very long time” to resolve Mr Johal’s case, with the husband of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe accusing MI5 and MI6 of supplying info that led to the Scottish Sikh blogger’s abduction and torture.
Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who was launched from jail in Iran in March 2022, joined a protest in central London final 12 months 12 months to name on the UK Government to do extra for Mr Singh Johal.
“There are a number of British citizens being held unlawfully overseas,” he informed these in attendance.
“There are approximately 100 British citizens tortured by foreign governments each year and how many of them have you heard of?
“You’ve heard of Jaggi, you’ve heard of Nazanin – most of them you haven’t.”
Earlier this 12 months, SNP MP Martin Docherty-Hughes (West Dunbartonshire) informed a House of Commons debate: “I want the Government to see through the speeches and interventions made in the House today that members across this House, across parties and across the nations of these islands have no intention of forgetting Jagtar Singh Johal.
“I want the UK Government to see that the choice they made not to deem his continued detention an arbitrary one, until recently, to not be without consequences.
“To see that even five years on we will be here and for another five years if that is indeed necessary. And, to once again, ask them through the minister to call for his immediate release.”
A panel of UN authorized specialists has mentioned Mr Singh Johal’s detention is unfair, “lacks legal basis” and is predicated on “discriminatory grounds” owing to his Sikh religion and his “status as a human rights defender”.
The UN mentioned the suitable decision could be to launch Mr Singh Johal instantly and accord him an enforceable proper to compensation and different reparations, in accordance with worldwide regulation.