Amnesty International Concerned for Condemned Sikhs in Dubai

Geneva.jpgLast month 17 Indian nationals were sentenced to die for killing a Pakistani man.  16 of the 17 men come from a Sikh background.

The case has attracted some attention in the Indian press, but has now found place on the BBC and other sources due to Amnesty International, a premier human rights group, calling attention to the torture of the defendants.

Amnesty says the men were taken to the scene of the killing in the emirate of Sharjah and forced to re-enact it.  It says they were made to beat a police officer posing as the dead man a month after their arrest – an act filmed and presented as genuine evidence.

Citing evidence produced by Indian rights group Lawyers For Human Rights International (LFHRI), Amnesty said that the 17 men were beaten with clubs, given electric shocks, deprived of sleep and forced to stand on one leg for prolonged periods.
“This is a mockery of justice. These 17 men have been tortured, forced to confess and sentenced to death based on a faked video,” Amnesty’s deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa, Hassiba Hadj Sharaoui said.
“Amnesty International is calling on the UAE authorities to investigate the allegations of torture and abuse and to ensure the 17 men receive a fair trial on appeal,” the group said in a statement. [link]
Some allegations by some Sikh websites and even a French link are especially disturbing.
Some of the defendants have alleged hateful attempts by the police at disrespecting their religious icons.

RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE OF THE POLICE : The accused also reported that they were not only physically tortured by the CID wing of the Sharjah police, but were forced to show disrespect to their religious symbol (KHANDA) which were being worn by some of the accused in gold chains in their necks. Then the accused were asked to step on the KHANDA’S to show disrespect to it. The police men played foot ball with the Khanda in order to desecrate the religious symbol. Their article of faith KARHA (IRON BRACELET) was removed by cutting with hack saw and were thrown into a dustbin. The police officials also kept on taunting the accused by saying, Who is your God ? Call him. We would like to meet him. The accused were humiliated to the extreme on the basis of their religion.

The Sikh Channel in the UK has promoted the cause that has been taken on heroically by the Chandigarh-based Lawyers for Human Rights International.  They seem to be a worthy-organization and I would encourage our Langa(r)-eaders to follow the case and contribute to the lawyer group.


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41 Responses to “Amnesty International Concerned for Condemned Sikhs in Dubai”

  1. Harinder says:

    Following steps may be adopted

    1) Contact the family of victims for forgiveness in case wrong has been done .
    2) Hire the best lawyer in Shairat law and modern law.
    3) Carry out "Juictice marches " in different parts of world
    4) Contact UN , International court of Juctice for a fair tiral.
    5) Do Ardas in all the Gurudwaras for their "FAIR JUSITICE " ( never heard 17 being sent to gallows for death of one man )
    6) SGPC chief can speak to the head of Grand mosque of Saudi Arabia .

  2. Harinder says:

    Following steps may be adopted

    1) Contact the family of victims for forgiveness in case wrong has been done .
    2) Hire the best lawyer in Shairat law and modern law.
    3) Carry out "Juictice marches " in different parts of world
    4) Contact UN , International court of Juctice for a fair tiral.
    5) Do Ardas in all the Gurudwaras for their "FAIR JUSITICE " ( never heard 17 being sent to gallows for death of one man )
    6) SGPC chief can speak to the head of Grand mosque of Saudi Arabia .

  3. Changa Banda says:

    Also please visit the following site

    http://uaejustice.wordpress.com/

    and take 2 minutes to email Sheikh Mohammed, the Ruler of Dubai.

  4. Changa Banda says:

    Also please visit the following site

    http://uaejustice.wordpress.com/

    and take 2 minutes to email Sheikh Mohammed, the Ruler of Dubai.

  5. iSingh says:

    Shows the Sikhs their real place in the world. Would they have done this if suspect/s were Israeli? or Parsis?

  6. Mona says:

    no state = nothing (politically speaking) in this world

  7. iSingh says:

    Shows the Sikhs their real place in the world. Would they have done this if suspect/s were Israeli? or Parsis?

  8. Mona says:

    no state = nothing (politically speaking) in this world

  9. Pritpal says:

    I bet 90% of Sikh population don't even know about this. sikhs should perhaps refrain from entering any country ruled by Muslims…

  10. Pritpal says:

    I bet 90% of Sikh population don't even know about this. sikhs should perhaps refrain from entering any country ruled by Muslims…

  11. Roop says:

    As much as I love Punjabi, I am ashamed that there are 94 posts on language and only 4 interested in this!! Sikhs are too munmukh to care…I will write the Head of Dubai an e-mail and post what I have written here later!!

  12. Roop says:

    Salam Alaikam Your Eminence. Praise be to God and may he bless the house of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

    I will speak from the heart. Sikhs come from the Punjab, and are strongly connected to this land, which was once ruled by Mughals, Muslim
    Emperiors, who gave it the name. Sikhs therefore share the same culture as Pakistan and Sikhism has similiar views. Many of our views are similiar to muslims.

  13. Roop says:

    I find it impossible that all 17 men could have been responsible for the murder and from what I have read an injustice may be done. Please let us provide them with a good Sharia Lawyer and please reconsider the sentence you are considering.

    I hope that the Indian Prime Minister has done his duty and spoken to you.It is also extremely disturbing to learn that these innocent young men have been tortured and are to be hanged, yet you read every day in the press that Emiratis accused of similar crimes have been given very lenient sentences such as 3 months jail – you may recall of a recent case when a driver who killed another person by dangerous driving was given just a 3 month jail sentence. So purely on the basis of a possible miscarriage of justice, please reconsider the evidence and the sentence.
    Alaikam Asaalam

  14. Roop says:

    As much as I love Punjabi, I am ashamed that there are 94 posts on language and only 4 interested in this!! Sikhs are too munmukh to care…I will write the Head of Dubai an e-mail and post what I have written here later!!

  15. Roop says:

    Salam Alaikam Your Eminence. Praise be to God and may he bless the house of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

    I will speak from the heart. Sikhs come from the Punjab, and are strongly connected to this land, which was once ruled by Mughals, Muslim
    Emperiors, who gave it the name. Sikhs therefore share the same culture as Pakistan and Sikhism has similiar views. Many of our views are similiar to muslims.

  16. Roop says:

    I find it impossible that all 17 men could have been responsible for the murder and from what I have read an injustice may be done. Please let us provide them with a good Sharia Lawyer and please reconsider the sentence you are considering.

    I hope that the Indian Prime Minister has done his duty and spoken to you.It is also extremely disturbing to learn that these innocent young men have been tortured and are to be hanged, yet you read every day in the press that Emiratis accused of similar crimes have been given very lenient sentences such as 3 months jail – you may recall of a recent case when a driver who killed another person by dangerous driving was given just a 3 month jail sentence. So purely on the basis of a possible miscarriage of justice, please reconsider the evidence and the sentence.
    Alaikam Asaalam

  17. Changa Banda says:

    Roop, I've added your version (in amended form) to the uaejustice website:

    "As-Salamu Alaikum Your Eminence. Praise be to God and may he bless the house of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

    I will speak from the heart. Sikhs come from the Pun jab, a land that was once ruled by the Moghul Emperors. Sikhs religion and culture therefore has much in common with that of Pakistan Islam, such as the belief in one God for example.

    I find it impossible that all 17 men could have been responsible for the murder, and from the report by Lawers For Human Rights International it is clear that a grave injustice has been done. Please throw out the current ill-judged sentence and provide the accused with the services of a good Sharia Lawyer so that the case can be tried with the full facts, with fairness and without false evidence obtained under torture.

    I hope that the Indian Prime Minister has done his duty and spoken to you. It is also extremely disturbing to learn that these innocent young men have been tortured and are to be hanged, yet you read every day in the press that Emiratis accused of similar crimes have been given very lenient sentences such as 3 months jail – you may recall of a recent case when a driver who killed another person by dangerous driving was given just a 3 month jail sentence. So purely on the basis of a miscarriage of justice, please reconsider the evidence and the sentence."

  18. […] The following is another version of an email that you could use (posted y Roop on the TheLangarHall […]

  19. Changa Banda says:

    Roop, I’ve added your version (in amended form) to the uaejustice website:

    “As-Salamu Alaikum Your Eminence. Praise be to God and may he bless the house of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

    I will speak from the heart. Sikhs come from the Pun jab, a land that was once ruled by the Moghul Emperors. Sikhs religion and culture therefore has much in common with that of Pakistan Islam, such as the belief in one God for example.

    I find it impossible that all 17 men could have been responsible for the murder, and from the report by Lawers For Human Rights International it is clear that a grave injustice has been done. Please throw out the current ill-judged sentence and provide the accused with the services of a good Sharia Lawyer so that the case can be tried with the full facts, with fairness and without false evidence obtained under torture.

    I hope that the Indian Prime Minister has done his duty and spoken to you. It is also extremely disturbing to learn that these innocent young men have been tortured and are to be hanged, yet you read every day in the press that Emiratis accused of similar crimes have been given very lenient sentences such as 3 months jail – you may recall of a recent case when a driver who killed another person by dangerous driving was given just a 3 month jail sentence. So purely on the basis of a miscarriage of justice, please reconsider the evidence and the sentence.”

  20. harbinder says:

    I find it this news very alarming how can 17 men be be condemed for this murder without conclusive evidence , it would not happen anywhere else in the world please re-consider your judgement
    ps my deepest sympthy to the family of the murdered man

  21. harbinder says:

    I find it this news very alarming how can 17 men be be condemed for this murder without conclusive evidence , it would not happen anywhere else in the world please re-consider your judgement
    ps my deepest sympthy to the family of the murdered man

  22. Roop Dhillon says:

    HARBINDER YOU NEED TO CLICK ON THE LINK CHUNGA HAS PROVIDED AND SEND THIS COMMENT THERE TO RELEVANT PEOPLE

  23. Roop Dhillon says:

    HARBINDER YOU NEED TO CLICK ON THE LINK CHUNGA HAS PROVIDED AND SEND THIS COMMENT THERE TO RELEVANT PEOPLE

  24. Roop says:

    They bloody well better do! Knocking each other's pugs off for a Kursi is irrelevant

  25. Roop Dhillon says:

    Powerful Sikhs need to lobby PM of India and Obama..let see if the rich and powerful Sikh sare true Sikhs….or have the stories of the exploits of the Khalsa just ended as that…

  26. Roop Dhillon says:

    Powerful Sikhs need to lobby PM of India and Obama..let see if the rich and powerful Sikh sare true Sikhs….or have the stories of the exploits of the Khalsa just ended as that…

  27. Harinder says:

    Sikhs need to have their "lobby group" ready in all countries to counter such gross miscarriage of juctice.
    Seveteeen for one (17:1 Trial) will be amongst the first in the world .
    I hope the SGPC chief can set up such commities.

  28. Harinder says:

    Sikhs need to have their "lobby group" ready in all countries to counter such gross miscarriage of juctice.
    Seveteeen for one (17:1 Trial) will be amongst the first in the world .
    I hope the SGPC chief can set up such commities.

  29. Roop says:

    They bloody well better do! Knocking each other's pugs off for a Kursi is irrelevant

  30. Harjap says:

    Why is India Silent?

  31. Harjap says:

    Why is India Silent?

  32. Suraj says:

    this is wrong is soo many ways. im just 20 and i can see that the dubai are biased in so many ways. its all about muslims and sikhs are nothing, they even played fotty with out khanda signs and threw them in the bin. karma will get them, but free our sikh brothers…!!

  33. Suraj says:

    this is wrong is soo many ways. im just 20 and i can see that the dubai are biased in so many ways. its all about muslims and sikhs are nothing, they even played fotty with out khanda signs and threw them in the bin. karma will get them, but free our sikh brothers…!!

  34. Suki says:

    There is a possibility this crime could be committed by someone other than the 17 and they had to jail someone. I recall a group of Indian fishermen that ended up in a Pakistan jail (as their boast had drifted over the boundary – like anyone can tell when in water) and at least one made to confess a crime he didn't commit (could’ve been a different Indian), forced into Islam and name changed in order to say he did it, in the mean time the real murderer a Pakistani national got off? At least that is what I recall reading. Correct me if I misread something.

    Sikhs and other Indians aren't treated well in Dubai from what I recall; its all very well if you are there to spend money but when you are there to work you are treated with contempt; and this could be a Indians from India issue; I wouldn’t know. There are many Sikhs in jail in the Islamic world that we don’t know about and if we do we forget.

  35. Suki says:

    There is a possibility this crime could be committed by someone other than the 17 and they had to jail someone. I recall a group of Indian fishermen that ended up in a Pakistan jail (as their boast had drifted over the boundary – like anyone can tell when in water) and at least one made to confess a crime he didn't commit (could’ve been a different Indian), forced into Islam and name changed in order to say he did it, in the mean time the real murderer a Pakistani national got off? At least that is what I recall reading. Correct me if I misread something.

    Sikhs and other Indians aren't treated well in Dubai from what I recall; its all very well if you are there to spend money but when you are there to work you are treated with contempt; and this could be a Indians from India issue; I wouldn’t know. There are many Sikhs in jail in the Islamic world that we don’t know about and if we do we forget.

  36. juhairah says:

    what well you do if the baby dos,nt have a passport

  37. juhairah says:

    what well you do if the baby dos,nt have a passport

  38. kaur says:

    pls sign this petition to save innocents Sikhs in Dubai and send this link to your friends and family ,not much time left…,click on this link http://www.thepetitionsite.com/4/save-innocent-si

  39. kaur says:

    pls sign this petition to save innocents Sikhs in Dubai and send this link to your friends and family ,not much time left…,click on this link http://www.thepetitionsite.com/4/save-innocent-si