UN Experts Condemn Sikh Man’s Detention in India as Unjustified

UN Experts Condemn Continued Detention of Jagtar Singh Johal

A group of 10 UN experts has condemned the continued detention of Jagtar Singh Johal in India. They describe his eight-year imprisonment as a form of psychological torture and a miscarriage of justice.

The experts urge Indian authorities to drop remaining charges and secure Johal’s immediate release. Born in Dumbarton, near Glasgow, Johal was arrested in India in 2017, just weeks after his wedding. He has been held in custody ever since.

In 2025, he was acquitted of financial support for a terror group but still faces federal charges from the Indian government. The UN experts stated that eight-and-a-half years of arbitrary detention without a clear path to trial is unlawful suffering and constitutes psychological torture.

The prolonged uncertainty alone is considered a form of psychological torture. International law unequivocally states that torture includes severe mental suffering caused by prolonged uncertainty while awaiting trial.

Johal’s detention was recognized as arbitrary by a UN panel in 2022, with claims he was subjected to torture while in custody. The experts have sent a new communication to Indian authorities and will continue monitoring the case.

Johal’s brother, Gurpreet Singh Johal, has renewed calls for UK Government intervention. He met Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper in December, urging the UK to respect India’s independent legal system and ensure his release.

The British government is represented by legal charities Redress and Reprieve, both calling for stronger action. Rupert Skilbeck, director of Redress, stated that the UK should do more to end this injustice against a British citizen. Dan Dolan, deputy chief executive at Reprieve, emphasized that this intervention should be a wake-up call for the UK Government, which is not doing enough to help Johal.