A British man imprisoned in India for over eight years has declared he is 'stuck in a broken country with a broken judicial system'. His family and MP are now urging Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper to secure his release during her visit to India this week.
Background of the Case
Jagtar Singh Johal, a 39-year-old from Dumbarton near Glasgow, was arrested by Indian authorities in 2017, just weeks after his wedding in the country. Despite being acquitted last year of financially backing a terror group, he continues to face federal charges from Indian authorities based on the same allegations.
United Nations experts have condemned Mr Johal's imprisonment, labelling it an instance of arbitrary detention and stating that he has suffered 'a form of psychological torture'. This development coincides with Foreign Secretary Ms Cooper's visit to India for crucial talks on global security, following a trip to China. Consular staff recently informed Mr Johal of the senior Cabinet minister's impending visit to Delhi.
Mr Johal's Plea
Mr Johal was said to have replied with a message for the Foreign Secretary, telling them: 'I'm stuck in a broken country with a broken judicial system.'
Ms Cooper is due to meet her Indian counterpart, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, on Thursday. Ahead of that meeting, Mr Johal's Labour MP, Douglas McAllister, is among those who said it will not be enough for Ms Cooper to simply raise his case with the Indian government.
MP's Demand
The West Dunbartonshire MP said: 'There can be no higher priority on this trip than securing the freedom of a young British man who has been unjustly imprisoned for almost nine years. I have made this case to the Foreign Secretary personally, stressing the need for urgent action. It is not enough to raise the case or call for faster progress: following his acquittal in Punjab, all remaining charges against Jagtar Singh Johal should be dropped, so that he can return home to Dumbarton.'
Family's Appeal
Gurpreet Singh Johal, Mr Johal's older brother, said he wanted to see the Foreign Secretary adopt a plan aimed at securing his release, which the family had discussed with Ms Cooper in a meeting last year. He said: 'Each time a Foreign Minister travels to India for meetings, a part of me believes that Jagtar will be on the plane home with them. We look for tiny signs of progress and reasons to hope and, each time, the disappointment is crushing. When I met Yvette Cooper last year, we presented a clear plan to get Jagtar home – this visit is her big chance to put it into action. She has all the tools to succeed where seven other foreign secretaries have failed. It would be devastating to hear the same weak excuses all over again.'
Campaign Group's Statement
Mr Johal's family has been supported in its campaign to secure his release by the campaign group Reprieve, which has consistently insisted that the Indian authorities have no case against him. Dan Dolan, deputy chief executive of Reprieve, said: 'An Indian court last year acquitted Jagtar on all charges, for lack of evidence, but he remains detained due to eight zombie cases based on the same allegation and the same torture confession. This kind of double jeopardy is prohibited in India's constitution and international law. As UN legal experts recently communicated to the Indian authorities, the only just resolution is for the charges to be dropped and Jagtar released immediately. It's past time for the Foreign Secretary to negotiate with her Indian counterparts and get this done.'
Broader Context
Mr Johal's case is not the only example of a British citizen imprisoned abroad which the Foreign Secretary has faced pressure to raise during her trip to Asia. While in China, Ms Cooper vowed to continue raising the case of imprisoned British citizen Jimmy Lai with the Chinese government amid opposition calls for her to secure his release by Beijing. The Foreign Secretary said a 'really important' working relationship had been established between the UK and China after years of frosty relations as she capped a two-day visit to the country. But she has faced pressure to take a harder line with Beijing over concerns about national security and human rights issues, including the detention of pro-democracy campaigner Mr Lai.
The Foreign Office was contacted for comment.
