London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Starmer urges PM to request India release UK citizen Jagtar Singh Johal

Starmer urges PM to request India release UK citizen Jagtar Singh Johal

Labour leader writes to Boris Johnson after UN working group declared Johal’s five-year detention arbitrary
Keir Starmer has asked Boris Johnson to intervene and request that the Indian government release a British citizen after a UN working group declared his five-year detention arbitrary and without any legal basis.

In a letter, the Labour leader asks why Johnson has not acted to ask for the release of Jagtar Singh Johal given the findings of the UN report on arbitrary detention last month.

Johnson prides himself on his strong relations with the Indian government led by Narendra Modi, but he has not used his influence to make a public call for release.

Starmer writes: “Jagtar was arrested in 2017 after travelling to India for his wedding where he was tortured by police officers into making a so-called ‘confession’ to charges carrying the death penalty.”

Referencing the UN working group on arbitrary detention’s conclusion that Jagtar “was targeted because of his activities as a Sikh practitioner and supporter and because of his activism”, he points out that the UN believes there is no legal basis for his continued detention.

The UN’s expert panel called for Johal’s release, finding that there was no legal basis for Johal’s continued detention, and he had been tortured and denied the right to a fair trial.

Starmer asks in his letter, on behalf of Johal’s family, why the government has not made the same request and when it will do so.

Starmer, a former director of public prosecutions, is the most high-profile politician to take up the case, and his intervention suggests the UK will not be able to keep the issue confined to behind-the-scenes diplomacy indefinitely. Johal’s family, based in Dumbarton, have received support from the Scottish first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, and the campaign organisation Reprieve.

Starmer in his letter also calls for a cross-party approach to secure his release, saying: “In past cases of British nationals detained abroad it has been crucial to work cross-party, not only to exert maximum pressure but also ensure a coordinated approach. So, in that spirit, I want to offer Labour’s support in securing Jagtar’s release and hope you can address the questions Jagtar’s family desperately want to be answered.”

The Indian government has said Johal’s detention was based on “sufficient prosecutable evidence” and that Johal’s rights have been “duly honoured”.

He was arrested on 4 November 2017 in Jalandhar by the Punjab police for his alleged role in eight targeted killings carried out between April 2016 and October 2017 by the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF), a banned terrorist organisation.

He is yet to stand trial in any case he stands accused in, and is being held at Delhi’s Tihar jail. He and his family strongly deny the allegations. Efforts to secure his release on bail have failed.

The report by the UN group said: “Johal is a follower of the Sikh faith. He is an online activist and contributed to a magazine and website documenting the persecution of the Sikh religious minority in India … On 4 November 2017, after his wedding in Jalandhar, Punjab, Johal was abducted by 15 unidentified men in Rama Mandi, Jalandhar. The men did not identify themselves as law enforcement officers.” The UN claims he was subsequently tortured.

Dan Dolan’s, Reprieve’s director of advocacy, said: “Jagtar was abducted on Boris Johnson’s watch at the Foreign Office. So he has known about this case for almost five years. He’s not the only UK foreign secretary to fail Jagtar, but as prime minister he could be the one to bring him home.”

Johal’s brother, Gurpreet Singh Johal, said: “My brother is still in prison because of UK government inaction. We need him back here in Dumbarton with his family. This letter ups the pressure on Boris Johnson to do what’s right and seek Jagtar’s immediate release.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×