Scottish Sikh: India’s prolonged detention ‘psychological torture’: UN

GENEVA: United Nations experts warned Wednesday that India’s years-long detention of a Sikh blogger and rights activist from Scotland amounted to “psychological torture”, demanding his immediate release.

Jagtar Singh Johal was arrested in India in November 2017 while there for his wedding on accusations of being part of a terror plot against right-wing Hindu leaders.

Ten independent UN experts, including the special rapporteurs on torture and on protecting rights while countering terrorism, pointed out that he had now spent “over eight years — 3,089 days — in prison without a foreseeable end to his case”.

“The prolonged uncertainty alone is a form of psychological torture,” they warned.

“International law is unequivocal: torture includes severe mental suffering caused by prolonged uncertainty while awaiting trial.”