Dear
Urgent Action Appeal: Calling for the Foreign Secretary to urgently meet the family and MP of Scottish man tortured and falsely imprisoned in India.
I remain deeply concerned for the welfare of Jagtar Singh Johal, the 33-year-old UK citizen from Dumbarton, who has been tortured and imprisoned in India since 4 November 2017.
It is shocking that after 950+ days of incarceration in a foreign country, where his human rights have regularly been abused, the current Foreign Secretary of the UK government is yet to meet Jagtar’s family or his MP.
Despite numerous parliamentary questions, challenges and debates led by his MP Martin Docherty-Hughes and the Chair of the APPG British Sikhs, Preet Kaur Gill MP, the FCO seem to have deprioritised Jagtar’s case and back tracked from the FCO Minister Rt Hon Rory Stewarts statement in the commons where he described Jagtar’s treatment as “unconstitutional” and warned of “extreme action” against the Indian authorities.
Following a further challenge in the commons by Jagtar’s MP to Boris Johnson the former Foreign Secretary, to which he then responded by agreeing to meet the family. Unfortunately Boris did not last much longer as the Foreign Secretary, and it is very disappointing since the replacement of Jeremy Hunt, the new Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has failed to meet with the family and MP Martin Docherty Hughes.
It is also unbelievable that to date the British High Commission has not been granted private access to meet Jagtar despite their numerous visits, in which senior Indian police o cers are ever present. Furthermore, little or no action has been taken by the UK government in relation to the 3rd degree torture su ered by Jagtar, something the United Nations has strongly questioned in writing of the Indian Authorities.
Given all the above, it is unacceptable that the UK Foreign secretary would continue to neglect the welfare and ignore the feelings of Jagtar and his family during such a traumatic time. e question arises would this discrimination happen if Jagtar were not Scottish or a Sikh? As a constituent I would urge you to:
1. Write to the Foreign Secretary on my behalf to demand that he personally meet with the family and MP of Jagtar Singh Johal at the earliest time available
2. Contact his local MP Martin Docherty-Hughes to discuss how you can assist to secure his immediate release and return to the UK,
Please copy me your letters to the Foreign Secretary and any responses when they are received. Also, please liaise with Preet Kaur Gill MP the Chair of the APPG for British Sikhs who is also in direct contact with the family.
Yours sincerely,