22 April 2026, GENEVA – There is no rationale for the continued detention of Sikh British national, Jagtar Singh Johal, who was abducted during a visit to India to get married, and has now spent over eight years – 3089 days – in prison without a foreseeable end to his case, UN experts* said today.
“Eight and a half years of arbitrary detention without a clear path to trial is not justice, it is unlawful suffering,” the experts said. “The prolonged uncertainty alone is a form of psychological torture.”
Johal, a human rights defender, was seized in Punjab in November 2017 not long after his wedding, by hooded men later identified as police officers, and taken to an undisclosed location where he was held incommunicado for 10 days. During that time, it is alleged that he was subjected to electric shocks, stress positions, sleep deprivation and threats of being killed.
He was later charged in a series of terrorism-related offences, some carrying the death penalty, and which reportedly relied on confessions extracted under torture. In March 2025, a court acquitted him in one of the charges, finding no reliable evidence. Yet Johal remains behind bars.
“The fact that he was acquitted, yet still faces near-identical charges, raises serious concerns about double jeopardy, the presumption of innocence, the misuse of counter-terrorism laws, and the integrity of the proceedings,” the experts said. “This is not simply delay – it points to deeper dysfunction in the administration of justice.”
According to recent reports, Johal’s conditions have worsened. He has faced restrictions on contact with his family, limited access to basic hygiene, and periods of solitary confinement.
“International law is unequivocal: torture includes severe mental suffering caused by prolonged uncertainty while awaiting trial,” the experts said. “It also prohibits the use of evidence obtained through torture in proceedings, and requires prompt, transparent and fair trials,” they said.
“This case represents the cumulative impact of injustice”, the experts said. “The reliance on contested evidence, multiplication of proceedings on near-identical charges, allegations that he was targeted because of his faith, his continued arbitrary detention and the absence of accountability for torture allegations reflect a profound miscarriage of justice.”
They called on the Government of India to drop the remaining charges, release Johal without delay and conduct a full, prompt and independent investigation into the allegations of torture and ill-treatment and the misadministration of justice.
“Time is not neutral,” the experts said. “The long wait for an outcome has already caused intolerable anxiety and stress, and constitutes an unacceptable harm prohibited under international human rights law.”
The experts have sent a new communication on Johan’s case and will monitor developments.
*The experts:
- Alice Jill Edwards, Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment;
- Nazila Ghanea, the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief;
- Nicolas Levrat, the Special Rapporteur on minority issues;
- Ben Saul, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism;
- Irene Khan, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression;
- Mary Lawlor, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders;
- Matthew Gillett (Chair-Rapporteur), Mr. Ethan Hee-Seok Shin (Vice-Chair on Follow-Up), Ms. Miriam Estrada-Castillo and Mr. Mumba Malila, Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.
Special Rapporteurs/Independent Experts/Working Groups are independent human rights experts appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council. Together, these experts are referred to as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. While the UN Human Rights office acts as the secretariat for Special Procedures, the experts serve in their individual capacity and are independent from any government or organisation, including OHCHR and the UN. Any views or opinions presented are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the UN or OHCHR.
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