Baku Initiative Group documents transnational threats against Sikh minority

The Baku Initiative Group (BIG) and the Sikh Federation presented a report titled Indian Transnational Repression at the Geneva Press Club, highlighting transnational persecution carried out by the Indian government against the Sikh community and other ethnic groups.

The launch event was attended by the Director-General of the Geneva Press Club, international law experts, human rights defenders, and representatives from leading global media organisations, including BBC and AFP, among others, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

The 58-page factual report outlines systematic mechanisms of pressure, including violence, surveillance, intimidation, threats, and other forms of political persecution directed at Sikh activists and diaspora members living abroad.

Persecuted members of the Sikh community shared personal experiences, emphasising that the current Indian government views any dissent as hostility to be punished. The report describes this policy as a model of pressure designed to instil fear and panic.

It highlights that the homes of dozens of Sikh dissidents in the United Kingdom were raided and their relatives brought in for questioning, noting that such actions are part of a broader strategy of family-targeted pressure aimed at suppressing activists overseas.

Participants expressed particular gratitude to BIG for its active role in exposing India’s transnational repression policies and raising international awareness of the persecution. They stressed that BIG’s principled stance and consistent advocacy contribute significantly to the global fight against gross human rights violations.

Notably, the press conference, which was broadcast live across multiple platforms, faced cyberattacks, with repeated interruptions to the live stream and an internet shutdown at the venue.

By Jeyhun Aghazada