UK Intelligence Accused of Tip-Off Leading to Sikh Activist's Torture

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Image copyright: Free Jaggi Campaign [via BBC]

The Facts

  • British intelligence agencies MI5 and MI6 stand accused of tipping off Indian authorities about a British national, providing information that led to his abduction and alleged torture by Punjab police in India.

  • Jagtar Singh Johal, from Dumbarton, Scotland, was arrested in India in 2017. His family say he was bundled into an unmarked car. He has remained in detention ever since where he has allegedly been tortured, including being subjected to electric shocks.

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The Spin

Narrative A

The UK government has an obligation to protect the liberty of its citizens and yet no one is acting on behalf of Johal. British authorities are choosing to prioritize the convenience of maintaining diplomatic relations with India over the protection of minority rights - the move shows a lack of integrity and reveals double standards in the way the UK denounces arbitrary detention in other countries but refuses to do anything for its own citizens.

Scotsman

Narrative B

Johal isn't as innocent as many media outlets are making out - he has in fact helped to fund violent terrorists who murdered people in targeted killings. While he certainly doesn't deserve to be tortured, his detention is not nearly as 'arbitrary' as western media is portraying.

Indianexpress

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