Worldwide Day Of Protest

[JagtarSinghKhalsa]

Hindustan Times - Sikhs to take out candle-lit vigil march

Nabanita Sircar

London, January 17, 2006

Sikhs will gather at several cities in the UK on Tuesday evening in a candle-lit vigil reportedly being observed by Sikhs across the world. The vigil is being staged by the Sikh Federation, which claims to be the first and only Sikh political party in the UK.

They are calling for the end of the death penalty in India and the release of all Sikh political prisoners held there. Other organisations involved include the National Council of Gurdwaras, Khalsa Human Rights, Sikh Secretariat, Young Sikhs (UK), World Sikh Organisation, International Sikh Youth Federation, and Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar).

The vigil in London will be held outside the Houses of Parliament in Westminster. The vigils coincide with the 11th anniversary of one of the most controversial and high profile death penalty case of Professor Davinderpal Singh Bhullar, who was deported from Germany to India where he is on death row.

[Nama Singh]

VJKK VJKF

Well the paath, simran, ardaasaan have taken place pretty much all over the UK...

this is how it was like in Wolverhampton

http://www.ektaone.com/photos/2006/0117candlelightvigil/

Below, Mr Pringle from President of Amnesty International Wolverhampton

[JagtarSinghKhalsa]

Hindustan Times - Sikhs to take out candle-lit vigil march

Nabanita Sircar

London, January 17, 2006

Sikhs will gather at several cities in the UK on Tuesday evening in a candle-lit vigil reportedly being observed by Sikhs across the world. The vigil is being staged by the Sikh Federation, which claims to be the first and only Sikh political party in the UK.

They are calling for the end of the death penalty in India and the release of all Sikh political prisoners held there. Other organisations involved include the National Council of Gurdwaras, Khalsa Human Rights, Sikh Secretariat, Young Sikhs (UK), World Sikh Organisation, International Sikh Youth Federation, and Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar).

The vigil in London will be held outside the Houses of Parliament in Westminster. The vigils coincide with the 11th anniversary of one of the most controversial and high profile death penalty case of Professor Davinderpal Singh Bhullar, who was deported from Germany to India where he is on death row.

147151[/snapback]

Just back from the London vigil.

Will provide update, but need to get out a short Press Release.

Feedback and photos from all the other vigils would would be very helpful.

[Nama Singh]

[Nama Singh]

[JagtarSinghKhalsa]

VJKK VJKF

Well the paath, simran, ardaasaan have taken place pretty much all over the UK...

this is how it was like in Wolverhampton

http://www.ektaone.com/photos/2006/0117candlelightvigil/

Below, Mr Pringle from President of Amnesty International Wolverhampton

147171[/snapback]

Great stuff WOLVERHAMPTON

[Guest SScom]

Sikhs observe Worldwide Day of Protest

By SikhSangat News

Jan 17, 2006, 04:20

Today Sikhs across the world are coming together to hold candle light vigils in over 100 cities from London, to Paris, to Toronto and to New York and call for an immediate end to the death penalty in India and for the release of all Sikh political prisoners held in Indian jails.

In an unprecedented move leading Sikh organisations from the across the world are working collectively during the candle light vigils to exert pressure on the Indian authorities.

Candles are being lit in prominent places in cities throughout the world, including in around a dozen cities in India alone. Sikhs will be joined by prominent non-Sikhs, such as politicians, human rights and trade union activists. The vigils are being supported by Amnesty International and other members of the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty.

The worldwide vigils are taking place on 17 January to coincide with the 11th anniversary of one of the most controversial and highest profile death penalty cases in recent Indian history. 11 years earlier on 17 January 1995 Professor Davinderpal Singh Bhullar, a Sikh political activist, was illegally deported from Germany. Davinderpal Singh was handed over to the Indian authorities on the basis that he had nothing to fear on his return to India.

For 11 years Davinderpal Singh has been behind bars trying to come to terms with the mistake by the German authorities and knowing he could be taken to the gallows at any time. He was arrested and put in prison as soon as he landed in Delhi, tortured to obtain a false confession, charged and sentenced in August 2001 to death by hanging for a crime he did not commit.

When Germany deported Davinderpal Singh to a death-penalty prone country it violated the European Convention on Human Rights. After his deportation, the court of appeal in Frankfurt allowed his appeal and said that he should not have been deported as he would face torture, harassment and death in India and were he to re-enter Germany he would be given asylum.

The verdict of the court of appeal in Germany came too late for Davinderpal Singh. However, it has left Germany and the EU with a moral obligation to ensure the threat of the death penalty by India is removed and Davinderpal Singh and other political prisoners that are unnecessarily being held, either without trial or under false charges and without evidence, are released immediately.

In the USA the candle light vigils are also expected to highlight the case of Kulbir Singh Barapind who faces imminent extradition to India. The Center for Human Rights and Global Justice (CHRGJ) in New York has recently called upon US Secretary of State, Dr Condoleezza Rice to withhold extradition of Kulbir Singh, who is likely to be subjected to torture or possible death upon his to return to India.

[sikhlionz]

BIG THANK YOU to everyone that came to the Birmingham vigil- especially to the sewadaars :T:

seeeee the more people work together in the Panth - the more awareness we can create :TH:

[Inderpal]

just got back from the leic vigil

absolutley BRIL!

[Taksali Singh]

wjkkwjkp!

Thanks to all those that helped with Leeds!

and a HUGE THANKS TO MAHARAJ!!!!!

wjkkwjkp!