Geneva: Alleging that torture is practiced systematically in police stations and interrogation centres throughout Punjab, the European chapter of the Dal Khalsa today strongly criticised the state police for inflicting custodial torture on Scottish citizen Jagtar Singh Johal.
File Photo Jagtar Singh Johal who is in the custody of Punjab police since November 4, 2017
Dal Khalsa overseas secretary for human rights Prithpal Singh Switzerland and head of UK chapter Manmohan Singh appealed to the Amnesty International (India) and Human Rights Asia Watch to probe the third degree torture that include giving electricity shocks to UK national Jagtar Singh as revealed by him to his lawyer during court proceedings.
Prithpal Singh urges UNHRC to take serious note of Indian police for violating Article 4 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights that bars: “no one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment”.
Blaming the police for resorting to lies, Dal Khalsa overseas leaders questioned the claims made by the Punjab police officers in the Indian media that Jagtar Singh was on their radar and that they had arrested him after collecting solid evidence against him.
They said it’s ironic that the widespread voice raised by British MP’s expressing deep concern over the arrest and subsequent harassment of a British Sikh during his visit to Punjab has fallen into the deaf ears of London and New Delhi governments.
Dal Khalsa appeals to United Nations to enforce India to honor International Covenants and abolish practice of third degree torture during detentions. There’s need to sensitise the police for respect of human and civil rights of any person accused of any alleged crime.