Sikhs Call For Release Of 3, Prepare Political And Human Rights Campaign To Expose Treatment Of British Sikh

[Nirvair S Khalsa]

SIKH SANGAT NEWS

http://www.sikhsangat.org/ssn/publish/England_22/Sikhs_Call_For_Release_Of_3_Prepare_Political_And_Human_Rights_Campaign_To_Expose_Treatment_Of_British_Sikh.shtml

Sikhs Call For Release Of 3, Prepare Political And Human Rights Campaign To Expose Treatment Of British Sikh

Jan 1, 2007 - 4:13:52 PM

1. The Sikh Federation (UK) in collaboration with the Sikh Secretariat and Khalsa Human Rights in the UK and political and human rights organisations in the USA, Canada, Panjab and a number of countries in mainland Europe are calling for the immediate release of three Sikhs arrested by the Panjab police on 23 December. The three Sikhs being held are Parmjit Singh, Amolak Singh and Jasvinder Singh and claim to have committed no crime and are being held on fabricated charges.

2. Bhai Amrik Singh, the Chair of the Sikh Federation said: 'To date our efforts in the UK have been focused on ensuring the family of Parmjit Singh, a British citizen, receive our full support in contacting MPs during the holiday period. Rob Marris MP, the Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for UK Sikhs was first to respond within hours of being contacted and arranged for Ken Purchase MP the constituency MP for the family to be in touch with them on a daily basis. Our members in Derby have also been appraising Rt. Hon. Margaret Beckett MP, the Foreign Secretary of the situation as we wanted to ensure the British High Commission kept a close interest in developments.'

3. The British High Commission was contacted by Paramjit Singh's family within hours of his arrest. However, it was surprising the Indian authorities denied the High Commission access to Paramjit Singh when they first approached the authorities immediately after his arrest. It soon became clear that the reason for the refusal was because the police were torturing all three men.

4. In the first 24 hours following their arrest all three Sikhs had their articles of faith removed, were stripped naked and tortured. With the Panjab Assembly elections fast approaching it became apparent the police made the arrests for political reasons and used torture to coerce the three Sikhs to try and get them to sign confessional statements under duress.

5. On the 24 December 2006 all three Sikhs were presented in court by the police, the police failed in presenting the Sikhs within the allocated 24 hour limit to get police remand and the judge questioned why due process had not been followed. The police applied for a 14 day police remand, but the judge only granted remand for four days until the 28 December 2006. Eye witnesses who were present in court said it was clear to see the deterioration in health of the Sikhs and that they had been tortured. Despite police threats to keep quiet when they appeared in court, Paramjit Singh made it clear to the judge and watching media that the police were torturing and mistreating them to get them to sign confessional statements.

6. Bhai Amrik Singh said: "Sikhs are outraged that representatives of the British High Commission have had to wait for a week to get access to Paramjit Singh. The two-member team from the British High Commission have now heard first hand from him about the torture he and the other two innocent men have been subjected to and examined medical reports. We are aware the British authorities have taken serious note of the lack of access, the use of torture and falsification of medical reports to try and hide the actions of the police. The actions of the Panjab police are totally unacceptable and have been exposed."

7. Bhai Amrik Singh said "Sikhs in the UK and abroad will keep up pressure on the Indian authorities until the three innocent men are released. We are also in contact with Sikhs in the USA, Canada and countries in mainland Europe who are keen to increase international political pressure on the Indian authorities use of torture, fabrication of evidence and general misrepresentation of Sikhs to damage our reputation."

8. Khalsa Human Rights and Voices for Freedom are taking the lead in contacting international human rights organisations, such as, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. The UN Rapporteur on Torture is also being approached and the case will also be taken by a worldwide delegation of Sikhs to the next session of the UN Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva."

9. Bhai Amrik Singh concluded by stating: "There is growing feeling that there is no case for the three to answer with any evidence having been shown, by the Indian media itself, to have been totally fabricated. We expect the three to be released as soon as possible. Following discussions with international human rights groups in the early part of this week we will launch the next stage of the international political campaign before the period of judicial remand ends on 12 January. We urge Sikhs in the UK and abroad to join this campaign which will be finalised by the end the week.

Gurjeet Singh

National Press Secretary

Sikh Federation (UK)

[gupt_pappi]

Ok i'm confussed! I thought the Singhs were released on the 28th????????

[JagtarSinghKhalsa]

Ok i'm confussed! I thought the Singhs were released on the 28th????????

Arrested 23 December.

First appeared in court 24 December.

Police asked for 14 days remand - were granted 4 days until 28 December.

On 28 December police remand extended for 2 days until 30 December.

On 30 December granted judicial remand (sent to jail - not police remand/custody) until 12 January.

Hope this clarifies matters.

[JagtarSinghKhalsa]

SIKH SANGAT NEWS

http://www.sikhsangat.org/ssn/publish/England_22/Sikhs_Call_For_Release_Of_3_Prepare_Political_And_Human_Rights_Campaign_To_Expose_Treatment_Of_British_Sikh.shtml

Sikhs Call For Release Of 3, Prepare Political And Human Rights Campaign To Expose Treatment Of British Sikh

Jan 1, 2007 - 4:13:52 PM

1. The Sikh Federation (UK) in collaboration with the Sikh Secretariat and Khalsa Human Rights in the UK and political and human rights organisations in the USA, Canada, Panjab and a number of countries in mainland Europe are calling for the immediate release of three Sikhs arrested by the Panjab police on 23 December. The three Sikhs being held are Parmjit Singh, Amolak Singh and Jasvinder Singh and claim to have committed no crime and are being held on fabricated charges.

2. Bhai Amrik Singh, the Chair of the Sikh Federation said: 'To date our efforts in the UK have been focused on ensuring the family of Parmjit Singh, a British citizen, receive our full support in contacting MPs during the holiday period. Rob Marris MP, the Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for UK Sikhs was first to respond within hours of being contacted and arranged for Ken Purchase MP the constituency MP for the family to be in touch with them on a daily basis. Our members in Derby have also been appraising Rt. Hon. Margaret Beckett MP, the Foreign Secretary of the situation as we wanted to ensure the British High Commission kept a close interest in developments.'

3. The British High Commission was contacted by Paramjit Singh's family within hours of his arrest. However, it was surprising the Indian authorities denied the High Commission access to Paramjit Singh when they first approached the authorities immediately after his arrest. It soon became clear that the reason for the refusal was because the police were torturing all three men.

4. In the first 24 hours following their arrest all three Sikhs had their articles of faith removed, were stripped naked and tortured. With the Panjab Assembly elections fast approaching it became apparent the police made the arrests for political reasons and used torture to coerce the three Sikhs to try and get them to sign confessional statements under duress.

5. On the 24 December 2006 all three Sikhs were presented in court by the police, the police failed in presenting the Sikhs within the allocated 24 hour limit to get police remand and the judge questioned why due process had not been followed. The police applied for a 14 day police remand, but the judge only granted remand for four days until the 28 December 2006. Eye witnesses who were present in court said it was clear to see the deterioration in health of the Sikhs and that they had been tortured. Despite police threats to keep quiet when they appeared in court, Paramjit Singh made it clear to the judge and watching media that the police were torturing and mistreating them to get them to sign confessional statements.

6. Bhai Amrik Singh said: "Sikhs are outraged that representatives of the British High Commission have had to wait for a week to get access to Paramjit Singh. The two-member team from the British High Commission have now heard first hand from him about the torture he and the other two innocent men have been subjected to and examined medical reports. We are aware the British authorities have taken serious note of the lack of access, the use of torture and falsification of medical reports to try and hide the actions of the police. The actions of the Panjab police are totally unacceptable and have been exposed."

7. Bhai Amrik Singh said "Sikhs in the UK and abroad will keep up pressure on the Indian authorities until the three innocent men are released. We are also in contact with Sikhs in the USA, Canada and countries in mainland Europe who are keen to increase international political pressure on the Indian authorities use of torture, fabrication of evidence and general misrepresentation of Sikhs to damage our reputation."

8. Khalsa Human Rights and Voices for Freedom are taking the lead in contacting international human rights organisations, such as, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. The UN Rapporteur on Torture is also being approached and the case will also be taken by a worldwide delegation of Sikhs to the next session of the UN Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva."

9. Bhai Amrik Singh concluded by stating: "There is growing feeling that there is no case for the three to answer with any evidence having been shown, by the Indian media itself, to have been totally fabricated. We expect the three to be released as soon as possible. Following discussions with international human rights groups in the early part of this week we will launch the next stage of the international political campaign before the period of judicial remand ends on 12 January. We urge Sikhs in the UK and abroad to join this campaign which will be finalised by the end the week.

Gurjeet Singh

National Press Secretary

Sikh Federation (UK)

New item on Akash radio:

sikhfed.mp3