Gurpreet Singh Johal has released a very personal message to his brother through the justice charity Reprieve, which is supporting the family and considers Jagtar’s long pre-trial incarceration to be arbitrary detention. That definition’s been taken up by others including many UK MPs, but not by the British Government. In the message, Gurpreet – who is leading the Free Jaggi Now campaign – said: “I am sorry that I have not been able to wish you happy birthday for the last five years in person and despite all efforts that I have been unsuccessful in ensuring you are home this year again. I wish that this will be your last birthday in arbitrary detention and you will be back with us as soon as possible.
“Happy birthday and may God always keep you in high spirits.”
The London-based non-profit has sent that message to its members and asked them to add their voices to the greeting. More than 6200 have been received and it hopes to get them to Jagtar through legal or diplomatic channels. And tonight supporters will gather in Toronto and Sydney, Gravesend and Glasgow, in solidarity. At 7am this morning, prayers were also scheduled outside the Golden Temple in Amritsar, the holiest site in the Sikh religion.
Read the full story at The National.