French Sikh Pal Singh Bailed In Punjab After 7 Years In Jail

AMRITSAR SAHIB, Punjab—Bhai Pal Singh, a year old French national and human right’s activist, who has been languishing in jail since 2010 on allegedly fictitious charges of intention to commit terrorism, has been bailed. It was claimed by the police that they had located a weapons cache in his office. He was subsequently sentenced and incarcerated.

Bhai Pal Singh is an elderly French National, who is held in high regard by Sikhs the world over  has suffered the extreme levels of torture by police. Recently, he had to undergo an operation for a form of cancer on a wound that had been inflicted during this torture by police.

Bhai Pal Singh was arrested first when he was doing humanitarian work in villages across Punjab, trying to raise awareness against drugs and for Sikhi principles.  With Bhai Pal Singh’s dedicated and determined worked, many of Punjab’s youth that he came in contact with gave up drugs.  He was dedicated to helping a new generation of Sikhs in Punjab. This reportedly upset the Punjab Government and led to the unwarranted arrest and detainment of Bhai Pal Singh.

Bhai Pal Singh’s driver and friend, Kulwant Singh was set alight and killed in his prison cell under highly suspicious circumstances on the evening before he was due to give evidence against his torturers in a court of law.

The Sikh Relief organization (formerly SOPW – Sikh Organization for Prisoner Welfare), were instrumental in funding Pal Singh’s defense attorneys and fighting his case through court. They made the announcement regarding his release on bail earlier today.

In a press release from Sikh Relief, chairman Balbir Singh Bains said, “It has taken years for the justice system to acknowledge the right to liberty of those who are demonstrably innocent, even if only granting bail, pending an appeal. The Indian justice system would benefit society greatly if it worked with an organisations like ours and helped heal the mistrust of the Sikh community that feels oppressed by the judiciary and political classes.”

Jagtar Singh Gill, Secretary General elect of the Sikh Council UK said: “The Sikh Council welcomes the news that Bhai Pal Singh, a citizen of France, has been released on bail and commends the hard work and perseverance of Sikh Relief in assisting with the release.”

 

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