WRITTEN EVIDENCE SUBMITTED BY THE SIKH PRESS ASSOCIATION

(TRUK0113)

1.Should the Government adopt a formal definition of transnational repression? What should be the key elements of a definition?

The government should form a definition of transnational repression which acts as an umbrella term to summarise efforts either by or on behalf of a foreign nation to silence/intimidate/malign/disrupt/destroy UK based criticism, whether directed at individual activism or community-based movements. Key elements of the definition should be its malleableness, to ensure it does not leave out any of the wide range of actions which can be classified as transnational repression.

The government should adopt a formal definition of transnational repression which is inclusive of the vast reports of acts of transnational repression targeting UK citizens.

2.How does transnational repression impact (a) those targeted and (b) their wider communities?

Transnational repression can create division and fear not only within UK communities with overseas ties, but also between said communities and the wider British public. Individuals and communities can also suffer reputational damage due to propaganda, and at times even worse targeting, including violence up to a potentially fatal extent. The psychological damage of transnational repression is unlimited, and there are also more tangible impacts, including financial, which can occur.

There is also the issue of overseas families being targeted/impacted by foreign regimes as means of attacking UK citizens. Overall, these are negative impacts which work to prevent legitimate criticism and activism against foreign regimes.

Transnational repression aims to subjugate individuals to disrupt/destroy their criticism of foreign governments, and this can also cause fear and division within wider communities.

B. Government response

3.Which states are currently understood to be the biggest perpetrators of transnational repression in the UK? What are the main methods employed by such actors in the UK?

From a Sikh community perspective, there is no doubt the Indian State has been accused of foreign interference in the UK for decades. The methods of this are difficult to completely explain given much of it occurs via espionage. Essentially, this is aimed at Sikhs supporting the Khalistan (free Sikh homeland) movement and also any critics of India’s government, and comes in the form of disrupting/discouraging dialogue and community organising, to outright attacks on groups/individuals to destroy reputations and create toxicity around the topics and those associated with it.

India is reported to be one of the main actors of transnational repression in the UK, according to Sikh community reports and also mainstream media reports (2024- Washington Post and Guardian News).

4.What steps has the Government taken to address transnational repression in the UK?  What departments have been involved in these steps? How effective is coordination between departments?

Other than recognition of India’s transnational repression at a local level by individual MPs (Warinder Juss, Pat McFadden, Preet Kaur Gill, etc), there is nothing which can be cited to show the UK government is using new legislature to tackle transnational repression. Ever since the 2023 assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada and the foiled assassination of Gurpawant Singh Pannun in the USA – both by India, for which trials are ongoing – Sikhs and human rights supporters across the world have been expecting a stronger response from the UK to transnational repression. This is because reports from deep investigations by Washington Post and Guardian News have referenced global intelligence officers acknowledging India’s covert interference in the UK. As such, effectiveness of tackling this issue seems to be at zero, from a general Sikh community perspective. Activists continue to be targeted online and Indian State propagandists continue to be active in the UK.

The government has taken no visible steps in at least three-years to tackle transnational repression, even though there are wide reports of an increase in this issue, as reported by Washington Post and Guardian News in recent times, based on accounts from intelligence officers around the world, including the UK.

5.Several allied countries have taken action in relation to transnational repression in recent years. What could the UK Government learn from other countries’ legislative and policy responses to transnational repression?

The UK government could learn from countries such as Canada, when intelligence agreements have been abused by India to target Sikh citizens. The UK could also learn from the USA, where effort to protect the constitutional rights of Sikhs being allowed to support Khalistan led to the arrest of Nikhil Gupta for attempting to have community activist Gurpawant Singh Pannun assassinated. The UK could also learn from Australia, where law enforcement have considered unsolved accusations of Khalistani vandalism against Hindu temples may actually be “false-flag” attacks aimed at adding weight to anti-Sikh Indian nationalist sentiments.

UK authorities should be able to see that they will likely uncover similar interference here if they spend time looking into it, rather than allow policy to be pushed by India.

6.To what extent has entry into force of the National Security Act 2023, in particular the new offence of foreign interference and the Foreign Influence Registration scheme, helped to strengthen the UK’s ability to tackle transnational repression?

To very little extent has the National Security Act 2023 helped the UK prevent India’s interference, from many UK Sikh community perspectives at least. With reports about issues and concerns of India’s UK Consulate staff, the fact there has not even been an investigation yet speaks volumes.

7.How effective is other UK domestic legislation in preventing instances of transnational repression? What gaps have been identified and how may they be addressed?

Evidently based on  Sikh community reports from 2023 onwards, UK legislation is not effective in making Sikhs feel protected from India’s transnational repression. Gaps are less in legislature specifically but more in the will of UK political reps being willing to speak against India, a major trade partner.

8.What international legal obligations does the UK have in relation to transnational repression? Are there further steps, including legislative, that the UK should take to give effect to those obligations?

The UK has obligations to its citizens, and keeping them safe. Further steps the UK must take begin with serious investigation with the aim of prosecution and implementing long-term preventative measures, which will deter the facilitators of transnational repression.

C. Law enforcement and support for victims

9.What issues have been encountered by law enforcement and the Intelligence Community in countering transnational repression within the UK?

Trade agreements between India and the UK are clearly deterring the UK establishment from being stronger in action against India’s espionage and targeting of critics in the UK.

10.How effective are the police at recognising and dealing with instances of transnational repression? Is a consistent approach offered by different police forces across the UK? 

There is no evidence that police are effective at looking into cases of transnational repression, from Sikh community perspectives. The case of Avtar Singh Khanda highlights this. Khanda was the target of threats of being “eliminated” by Indian State intelligence figures (Major Gaurav Arya) before he died of suspected poisoning. However, his case was not looked into adequately with this in mind, as has been detailed by Sikh Federation UK. There is no evidence to suggest there is a consistent understanding, let alone approach, by different UK police forces regarding transnational repression. If Sikh communities were encouraged by local forces to report transnational repression, this may be an avenue towards progressing in this area.

11.How effective is the support and security assistance offered to (a) individuals and (b) communities that are the targets of transnational repression? What guidance is provided to victims and how is it tailored depending on the state perpetrating the attack?

The prominent case of Avtar Singh Khanda shows glaring flaws in the effectiveness of support and assistance offered to those affected by transnational repression. There are no accounts I have received of UK authorities showing a tailored understanding of India’s transnational repression towards Sikhs. This is also based on various complaints of Sikhs being targeted in things like schedule seven and wider accusations of supporting “terrorism” which come from the Indian State and its supporters. In fact, most Sikh community reports suggest a lack of understanding of this issue by UK authorities, resulting in undue pressure on individuals, such as in the case of the West Midlands 3.

D. International cooperation

12.Are multi-lateral police and judicial cooperation mechanisms, such as Interpol red notices, being misused by perpetrators of transnational repression? What steps can the Government take to prevent these mechanisms being misused against people in the UK?

The case of Paramjit Singh Pamma 2016 Portugal-UK-India shows the misuse of interpol red flags by India, as does the West Midlands 3 case. The UK government needs to review both and use them as templates to influence future legislature, specifically regarding India.

13. How is the UK working with other democracies to tackle transnational repression? How can it do better?

The lack of cohesion with Canada and the USA as both nations take major steps towards tackling India’s transnational repression in the country shows the UK is severely lacking in this area, and can do better by taking tangible measures to prevent it, starting with naming India as a foreign interference actor and then carrying out transparent investigations into how this is manifested in the UK.

14.How is the UK’s response to transnational repression affected by its diplomatic relationships with perpetrator states and how does transnational repression factor into the UK’s diplomatic decision-making?

It is well recognised by both MPs and political analysts that trade relations are put ahead of the rights of some UK citizens, which is why the UK may turn a blind-eye to blatant foreign interference from India. Transnational repression does not factor as a major issue regarding relations with India and this is evident from the fact it is not mentioned nearly as much as trade is between the nations.

(Feb 2025)