Starmer urged to intervene in ‘rigged’ Indian prosecution of British human rights activist

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Senior British lawyers have urged UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to intervene in the prosecution of British human rights activist Jagtar Singh Johal in India. They argue the ongoing charges violate the double jeopardy rule after Johal was acquitted of terrorism charges in Punjab, India.

Senior lawyers call on prime minister to request Indian prosecutors drop charges that would breach double jeopardy rule Four senior lawyers, including the former attorney general Dominic Grieve, have written to Keir Starmer urging him to request that Indian prosecutors drop charges against the British national Jagtar Singh Johal on the basis that continued prosecution would be in manifest breach of the double jeopardy rule which prevents someone being tried twice for the same offence. Johal has been held in an Indian jail for eight years, and in March last year was acquitted of the terrorist charges laid against him in a court in Punjab. The court found the prosecutors had ‘miserably failed’ to present any reliable evidence, despite having had seven years to do so. Continue reading...