Al-Jazeera – Sikh Leaders welcome arrests in Canada activist killing

Read the article by Jillian Kestler-D’Amours

Canada India killing

Montreal, Canada – Sikh leaders in North America have welcomed recent arrests in the killing of Canadian Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, but allegations that the Indian government was involved continue to fuel questions and unease.

Canadian police announced late last week that three Indian nationals were arrested in Canada for their involvement in the June killing of Nijjar, a prominent Sikh community leader in the westernmost province of British Columbia.

Police added that their investigation into Nijjar’s shooting death would continue, including whether “there are any ties to the government of India”.

Moninder Singh, a spokesman for the BC Gurdwaras Council, a coalition of Sikh temples in the province, told Al Jazeera there was “some relief” that arrests were made in the case.

But Singh, who knew Nijjar personally, said the question of Indian state involvement is “looming” over the Sikh community, which numbers about 770,000 people across Canada — the largest Sikh diaspora outside India.

“The foreign interference is real. The assassination plot is real,” said Singh, adding that it is imperative to get to the bottom of what India’s role has been.

“All of that has to be exposed,” he continued. “There [are] numerous reasons why it’s very, very important for public safety in Canada, along with deterring India from carrying out this kind of operation ever again.”

Canada-India tensions

Tensions between Canada and India skyrocketed in September after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that authorities were investigating “credible allegations of a potential link” between Indian government agents and Nijjar’s killing.

Nijjar was fatally shot on June 18, 2023, outside the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara, a temple in Surrey, British Columbia, where he served as president.

India vehemently denied the allegations that it was involved, calling them “absurd”. It also accused Nijjar of being involved in “terrorism” — a claim rejected by his supporters.

Nijjar had been a leading advocate in what is known as the Khalistan movement, a Sikh campaign for a sovereign state in India’s Punjab region.

While largely dormant inside India itself, Sikh separatism is largely viewed as a threat by the Indian government, which has urged Western nations to crack down on Khalistan movement leaders in the diaspora.

Canada has provided shelter to “Khalistani terrorists and extremists” who “continue to threaten India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”, India’s Ministry of External Affairs said as it rejected Trudeau’s allegations in September.

But Sikh leaders in Canada said they have faced threats for years, and they accused the Indian government of trying to silence them.

Nijjar’s killing amplified these longstanding tensions, and new reports have emerged of Indian officials’ involvement in other alleged plots to harm prominent Sikh leaders in Canada and the United States.

Reports of threats

For instance, in late November, the US Department of Justice announced charges against a 52-year-old Indian national, Nikhil Gupta, over a foiled attempt to assassinate Sikh American activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

The plot to kill Pannun, another Sikh separatist leader, was organised in coordination with an Indian government employee and others, according to the Justice Department.

Last week, The Washington Post reported that US intelligence agencies determined that the operation to target Pannun was approved by the then-head of India’s foreign intelligence agency, known as the Research and Analysis Wing or RAW.

The Indian government rejected those allegations as “unwarranted” and “unsubstantiated”, according to media reports.

But rights groups have said India “needs to do a lot more than issue denials” in such cases.

“India’s alleged involvement in assassination plots in the US and Canada suggests a new and notorious leap in extrajudicial killings,” Elaine Pearson, Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said in December.

Pritpal Singh, an activist and founder of the American Sikh Caucus Committee, was among the prominent Sikh leaders who were informed of threats against them over the past year.

Agents with the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) visited Pritpal, who is based in the state of California, in June to warn him.

In a statement to Al Jazeera this week, Pritpal said he commended “the unwavering commitment of Canadian and American law enforcement agencies” in their investigations into Nijjar’s killing and the surveillance of Sikhs.

“The alleged involvement of the Indian government in these heinous acts is a blatant violation of international norms and human rights. It is wholly unacceptable for any government to engage in extrajudicial killings and suppress dissenting voices abroad,” he said.

Pritpal also demanded accountability for threats against Sikh activists. “We must insist on US justice against those involved in India’s alleged murder-for-hire scheme targeting Americans on US soil,” he said.

“It is imperative that these cases are prosecuted on American soil by the United States Department of Justice to prevent these perpetrators from self-prosecuting.”

India hits out at Canada

Still, India has continued to deny any involvement in the alleged plots, while blasting Canada over its approach to Nijjar’s killing in particular.

The Indian High Commission in Ottawa, the Canadian capital, did not respond to Al Jazeera’s requests for comment on the case.

After news broke on Friday that Canadian authorities had made arrests, the Indian external affairs minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, said the Canadian government had a “political compulsion” to blame India.

Speaking to Indian news outlet The Economic Times this week, Jaishankar also accused Canada of “providing a haven to organised crime”.

“We’ve been repeatedly telling the Canadians that, if you actually allow such forces to set up shop and create networks, this is going to harm their own society. But so far, I don’t think that advice has been well heeded,” the minister said.

Canadian authorities have rejected the idea that they have allowed unlawful activity to proliferate. Experts also argue that many of the individuals India considers “terrorists” are not violating any Canadian laws.

“Canada is a rule-of-law country with a strong and independent justice system as well as a fundamental commitment to protecting all its citizens,” Trudeau said during a Sikh community event in Toronto on Saturday.

“I know that many Canadians, particularly members of the Sikh community, are feeling uneasy and perhaps even frightened right now. Well, every Canadian has the fundamental right to live safely and free from discrimination and threats of violence in Canada,” Trudeau added.

Use of ‘proxies’

Last week, the head of a Canadian public inquiry into foreign interference also released an interim report that accused Indian officials as well as their proxies in Canada of engaging in “a range of activities that seek to influence Canadian communities and politicians”.

This includes efforts to “align Canada’s position with India’s interests on key issues, particularly with respect to how the Indian government perceives Canada-based supporters of an independent Sikh homeland”, Commissioner Marie-Josee Hogue said.

The report noted that India “does not differentiate between lawful, pro-Khalistani political advocacy and the relatively small Canada-based Khalistani violent extremism”.

Therefore, “it views anyone aligned with Khalistani separatism as a seditious threat to India”.

Hogue also found that Indian officials are increasingly relying on Canadian and Canada-based proxies and their contacts to conduct foreign interference.

“This obfuscates any explicit link between India and the foreign interference activities. Proxies liaise and work with Indian intelligence officials in India and in Canada, taking both explicit and implicit direction from them,” the report said.

‘Galvanising’ Sikh communities

Ultimately, Sikh leaders have called for a full investigation into all those who may be involved in threats against members of their communities, including Indian state officials.

“I can’t speak to the motivation of the Indian state if it is proven that they are behind these heinous attacks,” said Kavneet Singh, chair of the board of the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), a US-based civil rights group.

“But they have had a long history of suppression of freedom of expression and targeting those who speak out in dissent.”

Kavneet told Al Jazeera that the American Sikh community is advocating at the federal and state levels “for improved legislation to better help law enforcement understand, identity and prosecute” instances of transnational repression.

He added that, despite the threats, the Sikh community’s history “has not been one of living in fear”.

Instead, “it’s one of understanding that there are potential threats, and it’s [one of] being vigilant,” Kavneet said. “In fact, I think this is actually galvanising the community and our diasporic allies.

“While there may be political differences amongst communities, ultimately we stand together when members of the community and/or our institutions are threatened by actors either foreign or domestic.”

Singh at the BC Gurdwaras Council echoed that sentiment, stressing that the Indian government is trying to “silence” Sikh voices in the diaspora who are advocating for a sovereign state.

Singh was among five Sikh leaders — including Nijjar — who were warned by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s national security division in 2022 about threats against their lives.

He told Al Jazeera on Tuesday that the Canadian authorities told him within the past two months that the threat against him “is still real” and he should avoid large public gatherings.

“If we speak on this issue [Khalistan] and we’re going to lead the community on this issue in the diaspora, I think those threats will always be there now. There’s no way that we can ever go back,” he said.

“When Hardeep’s assassination happened, that really set some clarity in for some of us that this is real. This is the new real for us and the new reality, that this can happen at any time.”

‘Bringing all communities together’

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Even in difficult times of division on the world stage, the Arts Council of Princeton and Muslim Center of Greater Princeton – through art – have found a way to bring local people of different faiths together to talk about spirituality and what each share.

This local event called the “Art of Contemplating Spirituality and Art” is part of the Arts Council of Princeton’s “ART OF” series.

“With everything going on in the world and seeing how divided our world was becoming, I wanted to host an event that would bring all of the communities together especially the Muslim and Jewish communities,” said Samira Ghani, chair of the event and a board trustee of the Arts Council of Princeton.

The event took place inside the Muslim Center of Greater Princeton in West Windsor on March 3 and was designed for faith leaders to speak about spirituality and how art resonates with their faith.

“My passion is interfaith and when I’m able to unite us through faith and art, it’s a labor of love for me,” Ghani said. “Seeing all the faiths come together and talk about spirituality, art and love, it truly makes me feel like all the hard work that comes with putting on an event is worth its weight in gold.”

Featuring faith leaders and people from Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Sikh and Buddhist faiths, people in attendance broke bread, listened and had conversations through the Art of Contemplating Spirituality and Art as various works of art were displayed throughout a large multi-purpose room at the mosque.

Faith leaders included Rev. Jan Willem van der Weff from Dutch Neck Presbyterian Church in Princeton Junction, Father Peter Baktis from Mother of God Orthodox Church in Princeton, Amman Seehra, vice chair of the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), Beverly Sanford from Princeton Buddhist Meditation Group, Rabbi Andrea Merow from the Jewish Center in Princeton and Imam Safwan of the Muslim Center of Greater Princeton. They each shared art that resonates with their faith, spoke about spirituality and connecting with others.

Seehra shared an art piece, “King without a Crown” by Amandeep Singh, who is also known as Inkquisitive Art. He explained through the artwork’s elements how it describes the Sikh faith and the direction of how people should lead their lives.

“The title of this is a ‘King without a Crown.’ The artist wanted to make a distinction between a crown that is man made and given to people and the turban which is a responsibility you take on,” Seehra said. “It is your responsibility to treat yourself and others with respect, but also help those in need.”

He described the three components of what the turban stands for. There was a time when turbans were only worn by royalty and there was the thought that everybody should be treated as royalty, and everybody is deserving of that type of respect, Seehra explained.

“It was essentially for everybody,” he said. “The second meaning is the process of tying [the turban] which should be something you are doing every day and is a constant reminder to do what is good, what is right, and to help others for yourself.”

And third, the turban symbolizes someone being approachable.

“If you see someone with a turban that means you can go to them if you are in need and need help,” he said. “It is a symbol for others to see you are supposed to stick out in a crowd, you are supposed to be there to help others.”

Sanford shared what faith means to the Buddhist community and how Buddhist implement this in their everyday lives. She described and explained the art of Rene Magritte in “The Key of the Fields” (La Clef des champs), which is a landscape framed by a window that has been broken.

“We live in a world that is very complicated and full of uncertainty, it always has been and always will be,” she said. “It is very [easy to] hide behind our stories and painted windows and not see the world around us which is so much bigger than we are.”

Sanford expressed that if there is any faith common to all of the Buddhist community, it is the “faith or the confidence that we can wake up and that we can break through, that we can see what our minds are doing. That we can open our hearts wider.

“…When we do …what comes through a broken window, fresh air … Something new and different, something magical even,” she added, noting “life is indeed extraordinary, precious and rare.”

Sanford said that in her Buddhist tradition they believe “we can open our hearts and minds in this messy, sorrowful, glorious, amazing world and find the fresh air in any moment.”

Merow, a rabbi from Jewish Center of Princeton, said it was a wonderful process for her to think about art and her spirituality.

“The word spirituality has varied connotations among all our different religions. I define spirituality as an attempt by each of us to encounter the holy one through our actions,” she said.

“The art I want to share with you references and elevates one religious practice, the idea of a Sabbath, a day of rest. For me this painting illustrates spiritual values I want to practice, and my community wants.”

Merow displayed a painting from a series called Hebrew letters by artist Debra Kapnek.

“For me this piece showcases values of universalism, what we share and particularism, our own story,” she said. “Concepts that touch each of us in this room.

“We share the Earth and care for it. We are connected to each other. Each of our religious communities has its own foundational stories. May each of our souls here find the Sabbaths that we need to bring true creativity to this world.”

The Muslim Center of Greater Princeton’s Imam Safwan expressed that “what gives light is the presence of truth inside of it.”

“We live when we make meaning and art brings us closer to those essential meanings and truths,” Safwan said. “That beauty, that love, so what I have chosen for my art is mamluk architecture. Mamluk society was part of the great Ottoman movement within what we could call the golden society of Islam.”

He explained how mamluk architecture created spaces with beauty in every point and function. The art of the building preserves its legacy and function.

“People behold these spaces for us to just ponder on its beauty and beauty of its people,” Safwan said. “Ultimately, the message I wish to close with is that buildings are generally not preserved for function. What makes something a legacy is the meaning that sustains it, not its function.

“The meaning will pay off generationally in the preservation of beauty.”

SALDEF Releases Groundbreaking Report on Transnational Repression and Minority Censorship

Read the full article on India Currents

A pioneering report titled Virtually Vulnerable: Exposing the Human Cost of Digital Harassment was released on February 20 by the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund ( SALDEF ). This in-depth study examines the escalating problem of online harassment and censorship, specifically targeting the Sikh diaspora and allied communities like secular Hindus, Indian Muslims, and Dalits.

“’Virtually Vulnerable’ sheds crucial light on the insidious ways digital harassment is employed against minority voices, including those in the Hindu community who stand for secular and democratic values, said Sunita Viswanath, Executive Director, Hindus for Human Rights (HHR). “This report not only exposes these harmful practices but also provides vital policy recommendations. It’s essential that we come together to ensure that digital platforms are spaces of free expression and not tools of oppression.”

The report offers a detailed analysis of the sophisticated methods used to silence minority voices online. It highlights the troubling practices of Big Tech, specifically social media firms, in censoring content under the guise of preserving national integrity, often resulting in the shadow banning and deletion of community-based social media accounts.

It includes a series of policy recommendations aimed at promoting transparency, accountability, and collaboration between tech companies and democracy-oriented nonprofits. These recommendations are geared towards mitigating international censorship and supporting the rights of free speech for diasporic communities.

This report serves as a clear call to action, said Kavneet Singh, SALDEF Acting Executive Director. “We must urgently address the lack of transparency and accountability in the digital realm to safeguard the fundamental human and civil rights of all communities.”

Thenmozhi Soundararajan, Executive Director of Equality Labs, the nation’s leading Dalit civil rights organization, added, “We are currently witnessing the digitization of caste apartheid, violent disinformation campaigns, and an era of surveillance capitalism exacerbated by right-wing authoritarianism. Caste-oppressed people have a right to advocate for their communities without the fear of being attacked and targeted by foreign state actors. This report is a critical look into the correlations between Big Tech, civil rights advocacy, and repression of dissent, and anyone concerned with free and ethical digital spaces should pay attention to it.”

Some of the critical issues addressed in the report include documenting trends in misinformation and suppression of Sikh voices on significant dates and events, examining the strategic misinformation campaign against various minority groups, including Indian Muslim and progressive Hindu communities–by the Indian-American Muslim Council (IAMC) and Hindus for Human Rights (HHR), and Big Tech’s failure to protect caste equity.

The report is available for download on the SALDEF website.

Sikh Americans, citing ‘Transnational Repression,’ vote for an independent homeland

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(RNS) — More and more Sikh Americans are fearful about an ‘alarming rise’ in transnational repression, according to several Sikh advocacy organizations.

Last Sunday (Jan. 28), more than 120,000 Sikhs of all ages and occupations took part in a historic referendum in San Francisco on the creation of an autonomous homeland in northwestern India. They braved hourslong lines after already long commutes, in many cases from neighboring states, to reach the polling place in the City by the Bay. 

These Sikhs, almost all of them U.S. citizens and residents, were voting aspirationally for the creation of Khalistan — a hoped-for but nonexistent “land of the pure” that would stand separate from the nation of India.

Organized by Sikhs for Justice, an activist group that is banned in India, the vote was aimed at raising the profile of Sikh efforts to convince the government of India to allow Punjab, the state where the Sikhi faith was born, to secede.

Though only symbolic, the vote for self-determination, said Harjeet Singh, a Seattle resident who voted in the referendum, was taken to “shake up and wake up” the Indian government to take accountability for their “historical oppression” and hold a binding referendum in Punjab.

“There are people who are proposing a solution to a problem. Now they have launched a peaceful, democratic expression of their will through a referendum,” said Singh. “This is a beautiful way to show that Sikhs as a community, we are not happy with the system, and we want change.”

The vote is especially timely, say Sikh advocates, after recent incidents outside of India of surveillance, intimidation and censorship of dissidents, or what several Sikh advocacy organizations refer to as “transnational repression.”

In June of last year, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused the Indian government of involvement in the assassination of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in a Surrey gurdwara parking lot. In November, the U.S. Department of Justice unsealed a document revealing an attempted assassination of a Sikh separatist leader in New York — this time the legal adviser of Sikhs for Justice, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who was present at the referendum.

More and more Sikh Americans are fearful about an “alarming rise” in such incidents, which Kavneet Singh of the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund said are “indicative of a broader, more systematic threat to the basic human rights of American citizens and residents.”

Bobby Singh, a member of Sikhs for Justice, was reportedly warned by the FBI for his own safety after the organization was informed of a credible threat to his life. 

On Tuesday, SALDEF announced that four U.S. House members — including Illinois Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal, both Indian-American — are co-sponsoring a bill that would offer greater resources and expanded protections for the minority community.

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom published a statement in December denouncing the “severe escalation of India’s efforts to silence religious minorities and human rights defenders both within its country and abroad.”

On Friday, the FBI released a public service announcement in the Punjabi language, warning citizens of the increase in threats.

The FBI “is reaching our community particularly in the language they speak, getting to them at their very core and heart,” said Kavneet Singh. “This is very clearly showing that they see our community, and that this is a legitimate issue.”

While the referendum organizers expected tens of thousands to come out for the vote, the massive turnout in San Francisco meant that some 30,000 voters were turned away. A second vote will occur on March 31.

Karam Singh, a board member for the California Sikh Youth Alliance, says the turnout  ”unequivocally” demonstrated where Sikhs in America stand on the Khalistan issue. 

“At the end of the day, this is a political grievance,” he said. “It’s a matter of persecution. It’s a matter of a community feeling neglected. Even if it was an advisory vote, even if it was non-binding, it was still a statement that Sikhs are not safe in India, and they firmly believe in independence.”

The 26-year-old graduate student drove two hours to cast his ballot, feeling a responsibility as a Sikh raised in the U.S. to “share the stories of pain and violence” that older generations, many of whom fled political persecution for supporting Khalistan, “didn’t have the tools to tell.”

“Sikhs from a very young age are taught a history of valor and honor,” he said. “That history is always a part of us. Although we are victims of genocide, at the same time, we’re also survivors. Sikhs see this as continuing that lineage of resistance. That history has a big part of Sikh psyche in America and even among young people.”

Tensions between Sikhs and the Indian government can be dated back to Indian independence in 1947, when support for the Khalistan movement gained traction against the backdrop of a division of Punjab into two parts — one in predominantly Muslim Pakistan and one in Hindu-majority India. In the resulting unrest, scholars estimate, 200,000 to 2 million people died, and up to 20 million were displaced. 

In the 1980s, India’s then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi ordered an army operation called Operation Blue Star that was meant to silence prominent Khalistani leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his militants in the holy Golden Temple in Amritsar, in Punjab. In retaliation for Bhindranwale’s death and the killing of many innocent civilians at the temple, Gandhi was assassinated by her two Sikh nationalist bodyguards. 

In October of 1984, an anti-Sikh pogrom in New Delhi took the lives of more than 3,000 Sikh Indians. A year later, Khalistani separatists based in Canada bombed an Air India flight en route from Toronto to New Delhi, killing all 329 people on board in the deadliest aviation attack before 9/11.

But activists such as Harjeet Singh and Karam Singh stress mutual Sikh and Hindu tolerance. The strife of the past was never a Hindu-Sikh religious battle, they say, but instead one about political representation. They point to the unity shown in 2020-2021, when hundreds of thousands of farmers, most of them Punjabis of both faiths, demonstrated peacefully against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s agricultural reforms that they claimed would worsen ecological and economic conditions. After months of sit-ins and rallies, Modi agreed to repeal the laws.

Harjeet Singh, an Indian army veteran who moved to the U.S. in 2013, said the general public is flooded with misinformation about the Khalistan movement, including that it is a “terrorist,” “fringe” or “militant” movement that supports a “theocracy.” He calls this propaganda from Indian media and government officials.

“Sikhs have a saying that when good Sikhs sit together, then the Guru himself sits there,” he said, referring to Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhi. 

“We Sikhs, we act almost as a nation. Whether it is a gathering for a political purpose or a gathering for a spiritual purpose, you always have a feeling of being with your family,” he added.

For Kavneet Singh, this fight also boils down to the aspects of the Sikhi faith that drive each Sikh’s pursuit of social justice.

“Our tradition has always had a concept of vigilance for justice for all,” he said. “That is a cornerstone of our faith. It is embedded in our DNA that we are to endeavor to stand up for what is right. If we see something unjust, or if we see someone who is being denied justice, it is our job to stand up and stand with them.”

SALDEF Responds to 2023 Hate Crime Statistics Release

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) released their national report on hate crimes earlier this week. There were 156 anti-Sikh hate crimes documented in 2023.

“We continue to see Sikhs as one of the top three most targeted religious groups in the country,” said Kiran Kaur Gill, SALDEF Executive Director. “We are proud that the Sikh American community is willing to come forward with these incidents and to advocate for constructive change. Unfortunately, we know these numbers do not account for the true scope of hate around the country. Law enforcement agencies continue to under- and not- report the number of hate crimes in their regions.”

Documented hate crimes against the Sikh American community continue to be among the most reported categories since 2015, when the anti-Sikh category was first included in the FBI’s hate crimes report. The number of anti-Sikh hate crimes reported decreased from 2022, while the overall number of hate crimes increased.

SALDEF continues to urge Congress, policymakers, and law enforcement agencies around the country to take specific action to combat hate and increase resources for victims and community. The organization submitted recommendations to the Senate Judiciary Committee as a part of their hearing, “A Threat to Justice Everywhere: Stemming the Tide of Hate Crimes in America”.

If you are a victim of an act of hate or bias, after you have reached out to law enforcement and are in a safe place, we encourage you to share your experience with SALDEF. You can find more resources on how to respond to acts of hate, including from a community health perspective, on our Resources page.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 19, 2024

Contact: Amrita Kular, SALDEF Director of Communications

(202) 393-2700 | media@saldef.org

Schiff Introduces the Transnational Repression Reporting Act to Track Cases of Foreign Repression in the U.S.

Washington, D.C.— Today, Representative Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) introduced the Transnational Repression Reporting Act of 2024 which would require the Attorney General, in coordination with other relevant federal agencies, to submit a report of cases of transnational repression against U.S. citizens or people in the United States. Schiff’s bill comes after the 2023 attempted assassination against prominent Sikh activist, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

“With transnational repression on the rise, the American people deserve to know if foreign governments are working to intimidate, harass, harm or kill individuals within the United States whom they view as hostile to their regimes,” said Rep. Schiff. “My bill will require a comprehensive report on cases of foreign governments targeting individuals here at home and American citizens abroad. I will continue to work with my colleagues to safeguard fundamental rights and freedoms, both domestically and around the world.”

Transnational repression violates the fundamental rights to free speech and privacy granted to all individuals in the United States – including foreign citizens, U.S. residents, and naturalized and U.S.-born citizens. According to the FBI, the most common targets of transnational repression are political and human rights activists, dissidents, journalists, political opponents, and members of religious or ethnic minority groups. Methods of transnational repression may include physical and digital stalking, harassment, computer hacking, criminal threats, assaults, attempted kidnappings, coerced repatriation, and detaining family members in the home country.

“The Transnational Repression Reporting Act is a major step forward in protecting the freedom of speech and civil rights of Americans,” said Kiran Kaur Gill, Executive Director of the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF). “When foreign governments infringe upon American sovereignty, there must be full transparency around the violation for the safety of our communities. Through this bill, Congress sends a strong message to both allies and adversaries that violating the constitutional rights of Americans will not be tolerated. SALDEF and the Sikh American community thank Congressman Schiff for his leadership in protecting the rights of all Americans.”

“We are deeply grateful to Congressman Schiff for proposing this legislation and taking the continuing threat of all transnational repression, including India’s recent targeting of Sikhs, seriously. It is essential for our national security that the United States is not seen abiding such egregious violations of democratic values or international norms–including India’s harassing, harming, and plotting to kill U.S.-based Sikhs–without consequence. We hope that others in congress will join Congressman Schiff to support this significant step forward,” said Harman Singh, Executive Director of the Sikh Coalition.

“India must be made accountable for transnational repression on Sikhs and this bill helps combat the oppression and intimidation Sikhs are facing in America,” said Swaranjit Singh Khalsa, City Council Member from Norwich, Connecticut and one of the Directors of Sikh Assembly of America.

The Transnational Repression Reporting Act of 2024 is cosponsored by Representatives Daniel S. Goldman (D-N.Y), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), James McGovern (D-Mass.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), and Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.).

Schiff’s bill is also supported by Human Rights Watch, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Sikh Coalition, Sikh Assembly of America, American Sikh Caucus Committee, International Defenders Council, Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans, Middle East Democracy Center, Hong Kong Democracy Council, Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation, and Falun Dafa Association.

Schiff has been a consistent leader in protecting Americans from transnational repression. He introduced the Stop Transnational Repression Act which would bolster the prosecution and oversight of transnational repression in 2022 and reintroduced the bill in December of 2023.

Read the full text of the bill HERE.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, July 12, 2024

Contact:

Amrita Kular, (202) 393-2700, media@saldef.org

LOCAL AND NATIONAL SIKH ORGANIZATIONS CELEBRATE THE APPOINTMENT OF RAJ SINGH BADHESHA TO THE FRESNO COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT BENCH

Judge Raj Singh Badhesha Represents a Historic First for the Sikh Community in the United States

FRESNO, CA — In a momentous occasion for the Sikh community in the United States, the Jakara Movement, the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), and the Sikh Coalition, are proud to celebrate the historic appointment of Raj Singh Badhesha to the Fresno County Superior Court Bench.

An enrobing ceremony was held Thursday, July 11, 2024, at Fresno City Hall.

Raj Singh Badhesha’s appointment is not just a professional achievement; it represents the culmination of decades of perseverance and dedication by Sikhs in America. He is the first ever Sikh to wear a judge’s robe in Fresno County; he is also the first Amritdhari (fully initiated) Sikh Judge in the United States that wears the Dastar (Sikh turban) or Pagri, per reporting.  Badhesha’s presence on the bench symbolizes the rich cultural heritage and the enduring spirit of the Sikh community.

In response to his appointment, Badhesha remarked, “It is my hope moving forward, that the Sikh youth present here today know that they can use this example and aspire to serve this county, this state, and this nation, in any position they wish to pursue.”  He added, “As I step into this new phase of service, I am aware of the great weight of the responsibilities bestowed upon me…I will strive to do my best each and every day, act impartially, honorably, and with the utmost integrity.”

The Sikh community has deep roots in California’s Central Valley, with Sikh farmers and laborers having settled in the region over a century ago. Their contributions to agriculture and local industry have been invaluable, and their cultural influence is woven into the fabric of the region. Today, Sikhism is the fifth-largest religion in the world, with millions of adherents who follow its teachings of equality, justice, and selfless service.

Immediately before his appointment, Badhesha served as Chief Assistant City Attorney in the Fresno City Attorney’s Office since 2022 and served in several roles in that office since 2012. He was an Associate at the law firm of Baker Manock & Jensen, PC from 2008 to 2012.  Badhesha earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings).

Naindeep Singh, Executive Director of the Jakara Movement, expressed his excitement, stating, “Raj Singh Badhesha’s appointment is a groundbreaking moment for Sikhs in America. It reflects our community’s resilience and our contributions to the broader society. We are incredibly proud of Raj for breaking this glass ceiling and confident that he will bring his unwavering commitment to justice and equality to the bench.”

“Raj Singh Badhesha’s appointment is a proud moment for the Sikh community in the Central Valley, throughout California and across the Country. He has displayed decades of dedication to justice and community advocacy, and serves as an inspiration to all those looking to serve and make change,” added SALDEF Executive Director Kiran Kaur Gill.

Harman Singh, Executive Director of the Sikh Coalition also commented on this milestone: “This appointment is a significant step towards greater representation and diversity within our judicial system. Raj Singh Badhesha’s journey and achievements inspire us all and highlight the importance of inclusion and equality in all spheres of public service.”

The Jakara Movement, SALDEF and the Sikh Coalition, will continue to support and advocate for the Sikh community, celebrating milestones like this that pave the way for future generations.

Pictures of Judge Badhesha’s Enrobing Ceremony are available here.

SALDEF at the Forefront of Protecting Sikh Americans

Faith-based communities in America have repeatedly come under attack.

These attacks not only threaten individual faith groups, such as Sikh Americans, but they also threaten the idea of religious freedom, one of the core principles under which our nation was founded. 

At SALDEF, the safety and security of the Sikh American community is our top priority.

We’re proud to share a significant step forward achieved through SALDEF’s leadership.

Since 2022, SALDEF Executive Director Kiran Kaur Gill has served as Chair of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Faith-Based Security Advisory Council (FBSAC). This council plays a vital role in ensuring houses of worship, faith communities, and faith-based organizations have the resources and support they need to stay safe.

Leadership Leads to Action

Under Kiran’s leadership and based on SALDEF research and analysis, the committee has worked to identify substantive and meaningful recommendations to support and enhance faith-based communities’ ability to be able to prevent, respond to, and recover from acts of targeted violence.

In an effort to protect Sikh Americans and others from incidents of transnational repression, the subcommittee has published recommendations that the government should enact.

Not only does the report heighten domestic awareness of this threat, but it also includes recommendations for prosecuting perpetrators of transnational repression, increased victim support services for targeted communities and language-accessible resources and outreach.

The DHS also announced an increase of $390 million in grant funding for faith-based institutions and nonprofit organizations, bringing the total FY2024 total to over $664 million.

Earlier this year, SALDEF engaged in successful advocacy to get Congressional funding for our sangats through this program.

The Committee reports and recommendations are on the FBSAC page, and you can find them here: Faith-Based Security Advisory Council | Homeland Security (dhs.gov).

Stay Informed, Stay Safe

We encourage you to visit https://saldef.org/transnationalrepression and https://saldef.org/nonprofit-security-grant-program-nsgp-application/ for the latest updates on security resources and initiatives.

SALDEF’s leadership role in this DHS committee demonstrates our ongoing commitment to the safety and security of all faith-based communities. SALDEF’s work in protecting the Sikh American community never stops. We will continue to advocate for your safety and security at every level.

WELCOME 2024 SikhLEAD DC INTERNS!

We are thrilled to announce the arrival of our exceptional Washington DC SikhLEAD Summer Internship participants at SALDEF!

This year’s cohort brings together eight talented young Sikh professionals from diverse communities across the nation:

  • Salonee Raheja | Becket Law Firm
  • Karamjot Singh | Senator Chuch Schumer
  • Komal Samrow | United States Government Accountability Office
  • Harbani Kohli | Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC)
  • Shaan Dhaliwal | New Heights Communication
  • Noorkaran Chima  | United States Commission on Civil Rights
  • Sareena Datta  | Congressman Andy Kim
  • Harman Singh Kohli  | APIAVOTE

Throughout the summer, they will have a unique opportunity to engage with influential leaders in Washington, D.C., including those on Capitol Hill, at key federal agencies, and at esteemed organizations like Becket Law Firm and the United States Government Accountability Office.

Through their participation in the SikhLEAD Internship Program, these interns will not only cultivate relationships with our nation’s leaders but also learn how to align their Sikh values with their chosen careers. Additionally, they will gain valuable professional experience that will equip them to serve the Sikh community effectively.

As a reminder, we have a summer fundraising goal of $75,000 to support the SikhLEAD Internship Program. Your contribution to this campaign will help us empower these and future aspiring leaders.

On behalf of these inspiring young leaders and the entire SALDEF team, thank you for your continued support!