MPs urge Starmer to secure release of British blogger facing India death penalty
Jagtar Singh Johal was arrested in November 2017 in Punjab, northern India, while in the country for his wedding.
Scottish Labour MPs have urged Sir Keir Starmer to prioritise the release of a British blogger who faces the death penalty in India, on the seventh anniversary of his arrest.
A group of 16 MPs have written to the Prime Minister asking him to have Jagtar Singh Johal, 37, released from prison.
He was arrested in November 2017 in Punjab, northern India, while in the country for his wedding.
Mr Johal was born in Glasgow and had moved to Dumbarton. He had been a campaigner for Sikh rights in India.
He is said to have been tortured, including with electric shocks, and faces the death penalty for eight charges in India.
He claims he was forced to sign a blank confession after being tortured and made to record a video which was broadcast on Indian TV.
The letter says the failure by previous Conservative governments to get him released is a “breach of the foremost duty of any Government to protect its citizens at home and abroad”.
It adds: “Jagtar has had seven years of his life cruelly stolen from him… we urge you to send a message about the priority that your Government places on protecting its citizens from abuse abroad.
“We ask you to make securing Jagtar’s release a priority, and ensure your Government does whatever it takes to bring him home to his family in Dumbarton.”
Signatories include the chairman of the Scottish Affairs Select Committee Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow West), Euan Stainbank (Falkirk) and Katrina Murray (Cumbernauld and Kirkintilloch).
Mr Johal, 37, has been held in solitary confinement in a prison in Delhi since 2019.
In 2022, a United Nations panel acknowledged Mr Johal had been arbitrarily detained in India.
He faces nine charges in India, eight of which are in the federal court. It took prosecutors nearly five years to charge him.
His brother Gurpreet Johal, has been campaigning for Jagtar Johal’s release. He met Foreign Secretary David Lammy in London last Wednesday, with West Dumbartonshire MP Douglas McAllister and officials, to discuss potential solutions for the case.
He met Scottish Labour MPs in Parliament a day later, where they signed the joint letter, which was sent to Sir Keir on Monday.
Mr Johal said: “I am grateful to MPs for continuing to keep the pressure on to get Jagtar back home.
“It’s evidential that this means a lot to them and their constituents for them to sign this, urging the Prime Minister to bring him back home from his arbitrary detention.”
Speaking on the seventh anniversary of the arrest, he added: “I’m still disappointed that he is not back home and I’m disappointed that we are still battling to bring him home.
“We’re hopeful that this will be the last year he is in detention and we will have him back with us soon.”
Mr McAllister said: “I was very pleased with the level of support Gurpreet and I received from my fellow Scottish Labour MPs on Thursday.
“All were very concerned to learn of the ongoing plight of my constituent, Dumbarton resident Jagtar.
“Today marks the seven-year anniversary of his arbitrary detention and therefore I will deliver the joint letter to our Prime Minister urging him to prioritise securing Jagtar’s release.”
