Campaign To Free Three Sikhs

[Sarbloh]

Fathe to all

I need help, I have sent a letter and e-mial to my MP and he wants a meeting to discuss the case, I am not the best at meetings. Need advice on how to move forward with this.

Thank you

Speak to the Sikh Federation (UK) who should be able to arrange a local represantative. Nirvair Khalsa is probably the best person to help you out.

[JagtarSinghKhalsa]

Fathe to all

I need help, I have sent a letter and e-mial to my MP and he wants a meeting to discuss the case, I am not the best at meetings. Need advice on how to move forward with this.

Thank you

Speak to the Sikh Federation (UK) who should be able to arrange a local represantative. Nirvair Khalsa is probably the best person to help you out.

Please email your mobile number to info@sikhfederation.com and someone will ring you up. Please indicate the town you live in and the MPs name.

[Nirvair S Khalsa]

Sikh Sangat Latest News:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

International Human Rights Postcard Campaign To Free Three Sikhs Gathers Pace

Jan 12, 2007 - 5:27:04 PM

An international human rights postcard campaign to free three innocent Sikhs who are being held in Punjab, that is being spearheaded by the Sikh Federation (UK), Sikh Secretariat, Young Sikhs (UK) and Khalsa Human Rights, is gaining increasing political and human rights support from across the globe.

Earlier today the three who were arrested on 23 December appeared in court for a fourth time, had their case adjourned and judicial custody extended to 19 January. Not surprisingly the police were still unable to produce any credible evidence after having been exposed by the Indian media trying to fabricate evidence and obtain confessional statements using torture.

After the launch of a worldwide postcard campaign at the weekend in the UK, mainland Europe and North America, feedback suggests many MPs in the UK and Canada have already received numerous requests to take up the case of the three Sikhs. The Federation itself has used its regional contacts to approach all UK MEPs. Paramjeet Singh is a citizen who is British, European and from the West and is therefore naturally receiving most of the attention.

A Sikh Federation (UK) spokesman said: 'Feedback suggests Sikh constituents are in the process of approaching around 120 UK MPs. However, we are preparing to expand the coverage of our campaign to non-Sikhs throughout the world. At the weekend thousands of postcards were distributed in Canada as well as the UK. We have had a series of meetings with Sikhs in different countries in Europe who are having the postcards translated and produced in several European languages.'

Non-Sikhs are also being targeted in the UK by Young Sikhs (UK) by getting Sikh students at University to get non-Sikh friends to use 'home' contact details so an additional 100-150 MPs can be covered across the UK. Sikhs are also eager to set up stalls in prominent locations in particular cities (e.g. London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow etc.)

The Sikh Federation (UK) is in the process of obtaining permission to set up stalls in locations, such as Trafalgar Square in central London. A stall is also likely to be set up next week to target activists at the 'A World Civilisation or a Clash of Civilisations' conference in the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in London.

Sikhs in other countries are adopting similar tactics for targeting non-Sikhs and getting maximum coverage. In Belgium Sikhs will be using tens of convenience and souvenir shops owned by Sikhs in different parts of the country to get customers to complete postcards. Sikhs in Paris and other major cities are being urged to try and set up stalls in key locations e.g. Eiffel Tower.

UK MPs and MEPs have been urged to write to the UK Foreign Secretary and the European Commissioner for External Relations respectively. It is understood they are demanding the Punjab Police stop the use of torture to obtain confessional statements; stop fabricating evidence to justify the arrests; highlight that it was totally unacceptable to deny Paramjeet Singh the right to meet his family and have access to the British High Commission; and that the three men should be released if they are innocent and have been picked up for political reasons.

UK MPs and MEPs have been urged to write to the Indian High Commission in London and the Indian High Commissioner to the European Union respectively requesting them to explain the actions of the Punjab Police against the three Sikhs and Paramjeet Singh in particular as he is a British and European citizen. Politicians from many countries have also been urged to write to the Punjab Chief Minister, Captain Amarinder Singh and the Punjab Police to protest against how the three Sikhs and Paramjeet Singh in particular are being treated and call for their immediate release in the absence of genuine evidence.

The postcards are also being used by Sikhs to pressure human rights groups to highlight this case through their network of members and activists. Postcards from around the globe are being sent to Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the UN Rapporteur on Torture.

Gurjeet Singh

General Secretary

Sikh Federation (UK)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[kurtas]

Sikh Sangat Latest News:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

International Human Rights Postcard Campaign To Free Three Sikhs Gathers Pace

Jan 12, 2007 - 5:27:04 PM

An international human rights postcard campaign to free three innocent Sikhs who are being held in Punjab, that is being uesting them to explain the actions of the Punjab Police against the three Sikhs and Paramjeet Singh in particular as he is a British and European citizen. Politicians from many countries have also been urged to write to the Punjab Chief Minister, Captain Amarinder Singh and the Punjab Police to protest against how the three Sikhs and Paramjeet Singh in particular are being treated and call for their immediate release in the absence of genuine evidence.

The postcards are also being used by Sikhs to pressure human rights groups to highlight this case through their network of members and activists. Postcards from around the globe are being sent to Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the UN Rapporteur on Torture.

Gurjeet Singh

General Secretary

Sikh Federation (UK)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is anything being done to initiate action against any Punjab Police wale who do visit the UK on and off ? Lord Goldsmith has said in the past that anyone who has committed human rights abuses abroad can be tried in the UK. It would be a major coup Coup d'etat for us if some of these dirty torturing scum had to spend time in the UK judicial system. The CM etc of Punjab must be told as head of the PP even he may be liable to prosecution if he visits the UK. The fact that one of the Gursikhs being held is a UK citizen provides further impetus for the UK authorities to take action against the Punjab sarkar etc.

[Pakandi baba]

WHY DO WE ONLY SEND TO GURDWARAS?? OTHER PEOPLE SNE THEM TO CHURCHES, MOSQUES ANYWHERE TO GET MORE PUBLICITY.

WHY CAN'T WE ARRANGE PROTESTS IN LONDON WITH A FEW THOUSAND PEOPLE?? WE SEEM TO GO TO A MELA PERFECTLY FINE IN LARGE NUMBERS??

LET ME KNOW ASAP

[Nirvair S Khalsa]

SIKH FEDERATION (UK)

www.sikhfederation.com

info@sikhfederation.com

PRESS RELEASE

Saturday 13 January 2007

Appeal By Hardeep Singh To Premier Dalton McGuinty As He Departs For India

PLEASE HELP STOP THE TORTURE OF MY FATHER AND COUSIN WHO HAVE BEEN FALSELY ARRESTED BY THE PUNJAB POLICE

The letter below was given by Hardeep Singh to Premier Dalton McGuinty as he departed on a business mission that he is leading of more than 100 Ontarians. The delegation represents 87 Ontario companies, universities and other organisations as well as government.

Premier McGuinty will meet with key government decision-makers in New Delhi. The mission to India will conclude in Punjab with business events in Chandigarh, Jalandhar and Amritsar. The schedule for India is from 14 to 21 January 2007. They will them move on to Pakistan before returning to Toronto on 26 January.

Gurjeet Singh

National Press Secretary

Sikh Federation (UK)

Dear Premier Dalton McGuinty

PLEASE HELP STOP THE TORTURE OF MY FATHER AND COUSIN WHO HAVE BEEN FALSELY ARRESTED BY THE PUNJAB POLICE

1. I would like to bring to your attention the case of three Sikhs who have been arrested in India and have been tortured.

2. The three Sikhs, Paramjeet Singh also known as Panjab Singh (54), is from the West and a British citizen, along with my father Amolak Singh (52) and my cousin Jasvinder Singh (23) were arrested under mysterious circumstances by the Punjab Police on 23 December 2006 and accused of seeking to cause unrest in the Punjab. Paramjeet Singh a grandfather was on vacation in Punjab, together with his wife and granddaughter aged 3. Having spent over two months in Punjab with his family he was due to return to the UK on 27 December.

3. After their arrest all three men had their articles of faith removed, were stripped naked and were tortured to try and force them to sign confessional statements. Despite being a British citizen the British High Commission staff and Paramjeet Singh's wife and family were denied access to him after his arrest. I fear for my father and cousin who are Indian citizens and will not be afforded the same protection as Paramjeet Singh. Please use your good office to intervene and help on my behalf and the Canadian Sikh community.

4. The three victims claim to have committed no crime. The Indian press have exposed many gaps in the police story and that the three are being held on fabricated charges of possessing explosives. With the Punjab Assembly elections taking place on 13 February, it is clear from the reports emerging that these arrests are part of a political conspiracy to discredit Sikhs. The three are being used and abused for political ends as the main political parties make claims and counter claims.

5. Despite police threats to keep quiet when they have appeared in court, upon leaving court the accused have stated on national TV that the Police were torturing and mistreating them to force them to sign confessional statements admitting they were involved in criminal activities, despite the fact that they had stated they were innocent.

6. It is outrageous that representatives of the British High Commission were forced to wait for a week to get access to Paramjeet Singh. The two-member team from the British High Commission have now heard first hand from him about the torture he and my father and cousin have been subjected to. My father and cousin have been treated even more poorly than Paramjeet Singh as they are Indian citizens. I personally appeal you while you are on a visit to Punjab to build ties with Punjab to help my family. The British High Commission has taken serious note of the lack of access, the use of torture and fabrication of charges. The actions of the Punjab Police are totally unacceptable and need to be challenged and exposed internationally.

7. On your visit I encourage you to:

1) Meet with the Chief Minister of Punjab and demand the Punjab Police stop the use of torture to obtain confessional statements; stop fabricating evidence to justify the arrests; highlight that it is totally unacceptable to deny Paramjeet Singh the right to meet his family and access to the British High Commission; that the Canadian authorities will keep a close eye on how my father and cousin are being treated as you have been approached by their family who live in Canada and that the three men should be released if they are innocent and have been picked up for political reasons.

2) Raise this matter in writing with the Indian Prime Minister requesting the Indian authorities to explain the actions of the Punjab Police against the three Sikhs.

3) Meet with the Director General of Police - S S Virk to protest against how the three Sikhs have been treated and call for their immediate release in the absence of genuine evidence.

Yours sincerely,

Hardeep Singh

[Nirvair S Khalsa]

A message from a user on another thread regarding previous 'Post 36':

Good Stuff. :TH: Hopefully, Dalton McGuinty, the Premier of Ontario can do something about it, and influence some postivie attributes to this situation.

[Nirvair S Khalsa]

SIKH FEDERATION (UK)

www.sikhfederation.com

info@sikhfederation.com

PRESS RELEASE

Monday 15 January 2007

UK PRIME MINISTER 'ELECT', GORDON BROWN URGED TO TAKE UP CASE OF PARAMJEET SINGH & TWO OTHER SIKHS IN VISIT TO INDIA

The Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown, who is widely expected to take over as Prime Minister after Tony Blair steps down later this year has been approached on the eve of his three day visit to India to do all he can to secure the release of Paramjeet Singh, Amolak Singh and Jasvinder Singh held in Nabha maximum security jail.

In the last seven days Sikhs from constituencies throughout the UK have been sending postcards regarding stopping the torture and false arrests of Sikhs by Punjab Police and the immediate release of the three Sikhs. Within the first seven days it was estimated that around 120 MPs had been sent postcards. The latest estimate is that this has increased to over 200 MPs following specific targeting this weekend. The number is expected to exceed 300 MPs within the next seven days.

One of the MPs sent a postcard by constituents in the last 24 hours is the Prime Minister elect, Gordon Brown. It is understood he has also been emailed the card by a Sikh constituent from Kirkcaldy for his consideration before his departure for India. Labour MPs, in particular Wolverhampton MP Rob Marris, the Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for UK Sikhs, who is close to Gordon Brown has been approached to convey to Gordon Brown the need for him to take up the case of Paramjeet Singh as he is a British citizen and has been living in Wolverhampton for almost 40 years.

The Sikh Federation (UK) has also approached a London-based Cabinet Minister with a large Sikh constituency who works closely with Gordon Brown. He has been asked to approach Gordon Brown to make a personal appeal for him to take up the matter in his short visit.

Gordon Brown is on his first visit to India and will be there from 17 January for three days. This will coincide with the visit by Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty who has been asked by Hardeep Singh, son of Amolak Singh and cousin of Jasvinder Singh to take up the matter with the authorities in Delhi and Punjab.

Gordon Brown will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi and is also expected to meet President APJ Abdul Kalam. In the past Tony Blair has personally intervened to secure the release of the likes of Ian Stillman convicted for 10 years in India. The British authorities run the risk of standing accused of racism if Gordon Brown returns without raising the case of Paramjeet Singh who was also falsely arrested and jailed when he arrived at Raja Sansi Airport, Amritsar on 3 October 2003, but eventually cleared of all charges some ten months later.

Gurjeet Singh

National Press Secretary

Sikh Federation (UK)

[sikhlionz]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6268373.stm

Campaign to free Sikh activist

The family of a British man accused by Indian

police of planning to unrest in Punjab and

possessing explosives are campaigning for his

freedom.

Paramjeet Singh, 54, from Wednesfield in the West

Midlands, has been in prison in Punjab since he was

arrested on December 23.

The Indian authorities say they found explosives and

firearms on land belonging to Mr Singh, a folk singer.

Campaigners want Gordon Brown to raise Mr Singh's

case

The Foreign Office are aware of claims that he has

been ill-treated.

A spokeswoman said a representative from the British

High Commission had visited Mr Singh in prison and was

in regular contact with his family.

The case of Mr Singh, who has four children and four

grandchildren, is backed by his local MP, Ken

Purchase, and by fellow Wolverhampton MP Rob Marris,

chairman of the all-party Parliamentary group for UK

Sikhs.

Mr Purchase's office said they hope Chancellor Gordon

Brown will raise Mr Singh's plight during his

three-day visit to India, which begins on January 17.

"We're 110 per cent confident that my father will be

cleared of all the charges"

Ravi Gakhal, daughter

Mr Singh, a retired foundry worker, is due to appear

in court again on Friday (January 19) when officials

are expected to set out a timetable for his trial.

Mr Singh, who uses 'Punjab Singh' as a stage name, his

wife Balvinder and three-year-old niece Sukhmani had

been in India since October to work on the family's

holiday home in their native Punjab.

Four days before they were due to fly home, Mr Singh

was arrested as he returned by car from a religious

function.

His daughter Ravi Gakhal, who works as a solicitor in

Birmingham, said her father had been beaten up and

humiliated to try to force him to confess to a crime

he did not commit.

'Tearful'

He was stripped of his clothes and belongings

including religious items such as his shorts, bangle

and dagger and made to stand naked all night. He was

also kicked and punched and his arms and legs were

pulled wide apart, said Miss Gakhal.

She said the torture had stopped after her father

complained to a judge who ordered daily medical

reports to be made on him.

"We're 110 per cent confident that my father will be

cleared of all the charges, it's a fit-up, but we

still worry and his niece cries for him. She keeps

asking where he is.

"All Indian prisons are poor and although my father

always adjusts well to his circumstances, this has

knocked him. At his first court hearing he was tearful

because he could not believe that they were doing this

to him."

Human rights campaigner

Miss Gakhal said the case against him was full of

discrepancies. For example the police initially

claimed that the explosives were found in the car he

was travelling in.

Later they said they were on land near his holiday

home - although Indian newspapers report that the

police did not visit the area until after his arrest.

The Sikh Federation, which aims to give UK Sikhs a

political voice, said that Mr Singh was well known as

a human rights campaigner, folk singer and preacher.

It said his outspoken views had led to his wrongful

arrest and imprisonment by the Indian authorities four

years ago. On that occasion the charges against him

were later dropped.

The federation said it was co-ordinating an international

political campaign to exert pressure on the Indian

authorities and had already contacted over 200 UK MPs

and all UK MEPs in the last 10 days.

Miss Gakhal said she believed her father's

imprisonment was connected to next month's elections

in Punjab.

Mr Singh had been travelling with Bhai Jasbir Singh, a

leading figure in the international Sikh community.

[kurtas]

Keith Vaz MP has had ample time to raise an early day motion about the treatment of Shilpa Shetty on big brother. What about an early day motion for the release of Paramjit Singh (and the others falsely arrested and tortured) ?

Singh of Leicester contact MP Vaz and ask him to table an early day motion on the issue of these 3 Singh.

The Sikh Fed should also be pressing the two Wolverhampton MPs to do something similar.