Who is Jagtar Singh Johal
Jagtar Singh Johal has been arbitrarily detained and living with the threat of a death sentence in India for over eight years. Jagtar is a Scottish blogger and activist who drew attention to historic human rights abuses against India’s Sikh population.
In November 2017, whilst in India to get married, Jagtar was abducted off the street by plain clothes police officers, tortured and forced to confess to trumped-up political charges
Has Jagtar been released?
Jagtar Singh Johal has been released on bail in India.
The country’s High Court ruled that his continued imprisonment violated his constitutional rights, noting that prosecutors have failed to produce any credible evidence against him.
Does this mean Jagtar is free?
While his release on bail is a huge relief for his family and supporters, it is not justice. Jagtar remains on trial in cases that could last for decades and end in capital punishment
The conditions of Jagtar’s bail are subject to stringent restrictions on his movement, association, and ability to speak freely.
What does Jagtar’s brother say about the news?
“There have been so many setbacks and disappointments in the last nine years that I didn’t dare to believe it until I saw Jagtar walking out of the prison gates with my own eyes. I’ll sleep well tonight, knowing that he’s not behind bars. Tomorrow morning, the fight continues, because he’s still on trial and facing the death penalty for something he didn’t do, trapped in a sham legal process designed to punish him for standing up for human rights. We’ll keep on fighting until he’s home with us. Now it’s over to the UK Government to get it done.”
What will Reprieve be doing next to get Jagtar home?
Whilst this news takes us one step closer, we will not stop pushing for the charges to be dropped and for Jagtar to be able to be returned home to his family.
This includes:
- Providing expert analysis to Jagtar’s legal team
- Keeping up public awareness of Jagtar’s case
- Enlisting the support of politicians and international legal bodies
- Assisting Jagtar’s lawyers in a civil campaign against the UK Government for their role in Jagtar’s arrest
What can I do to support Jagtar?
The Reprieve community has played a vital role, keeping the Government under pressure to get Jagtar home. From joining hundreds of campaigners outside Downing Street, to raising Jagtar’s case with their MP.
