Portugal/ London: Paramjeet Singh Pamma, a Sikh activists residing in England, was reportedly release today by Portuguese authorities. A short release by the Sikh Council UK said that Paramjeet Singh Pamma was released after Portugal’s Minister for Justice rejected India’s plea regarding extradition of Paramjeet Singh Pamma.
Paramjeet Singh Pamma was arrested by Portugal police on an allegedly faulty Red Notice from the Interpol.
Sikh diaspora organisations and human rights bodies have been making efforts to stop extradition of Paramjeet Singh Pamma to India in wake of apprehensions of persecution in India.
Portugal’s Minister of Justice, Francisca Van Dunem, based his decision to not to extradite Paramjeet Singh Pamma the on the fact that the Indian national qualification for refugee status given by the British authorities in September 2000, when he was granted asylum in that country and issued a valid travel document until April 24, 2023, which enables the move by several EU countries, including Portugal, “the Justice Ministry said in a statement.
Also according to the cabinet Van Dunem, the British authorities, challenged by the Portuguese authorities as part of the extradition process, confirmed refugee status and asylum put forward by the extradited. “Most of the acts for which extradition is requested occurred in India, at a time when refugee status had been granted by the United Kingdom”.
To the Portuguese Government, the assessment of the grounds of the right to asylum and refugee status was made by the United Kingdom and remained, even after the issuance by India’s request for arrest for extradition purposes (internationally disseminated by Interpol channels) .