India-Canada diplomatic tensions and transnational repression allegations
The developments in this story so far, most recent first.
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Development
UN rights experts raise alarm over threats to Sikh activist Moninder Singh in Canada
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· date approximate Background
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh activist, was shot dead in British Columbia.
In June 2023, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh activist designated as a terrorist by India, was shot dead outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia. The shooting occurred near the Sikh temple he led in a Vancouver suburb.
Following the incident, then-prime minister Justin Trudeau stated that Ottawa had credible evidence linking India to the killing. This statement resulted in a diplomatic rift between India and Canada in 2024. India has strongly denied all allegations of government involvement in the killing of foreign nationals, including Nijjar.
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· date approximate Background
The first report of threats to Moninder Singh's life was received by British Columbia police.
In July 2022, the British Columbia police informed Moninder Singh that they had received information indicating threats to his life. This marked the first of four instances where police notified Singh regarding such reports.
Singh, a leader of the Sikh Federation of Canada and an advocate for the Khalistan separatist movement, has faced multiple warnings concerning potential plots against himself and his family. Five UN special rapporteurs expressed serious concerns regarding credible threats against Singh and his family, noting that these threats may align with a broader pattern of transnational repression by Indian authorities targeting Sikh activists in various countries, including Canada.