Stephen has written to the Foreign Secretary, Liz Truss, urging her to press for the release of British Citizen, Jagtar Singh Johal.
In October 2017, Mr Johal was unlawfully abducted in India. This was three weeks after his wedding, and he was tortured into “making a so-called ‘confession’ to trumped up political charges.” There are now ten cases pending against him.
The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention recently found that the Indian Government failed to prove that Mr Johal’s confessions were given freely. They also found that he was targeted because of his faith and human rights work.
The British Government claim to seek the release of British nationals who are arbitrarily detained overseas. There are concerns, however, that the Foreign Office have not done enough in the case of Mr Johal and his family. Stephen has asked the Foreign Secretary to explain what actions are being taken to secure his release and keep his family informed of his welfare.
After sending his letter, Stephen said “It is concerning to learn that very little has been done in the last five years to secure his release. I urge the British Government to continue raising his case with the Indian Government and ensure he has a right to a fair trial”.