UN experts urge Canada to protect threatened Sikh activist Moninder Singh

Five United Nations human rights experts have urged Canada to protect Sikh activist Moninder Singh, a Canadian national who has received repeated government warnings of credible threats to his life. Their letter, dated June 3 and made public two months later under standard UN procedure, cites "concerning allegations of foreign intimidation and reprisals" against him.

Why are UN experts urging Canada to protect Sikh activist Moninder Singh?

The experts say Singh has received four "duty to warn" notices from Canadian authorities since 2022, each flagging credible and imminent threats to his life. They are calling on Canada to take all feasible measures to protect him and his family, accelerate investigations, hold perpetrators accountable and prevent further threats.

Who wrote the letter to Canada?

The letter was signed by special rapporteurs covering human rights while countering terrorism, freedom of peaceful assembly, human rights defenders, and freedom of religion, alongside an expert on promoting a democratic international order. UN special rapporteurs are independent figures appointed by the Human Rights Council to investigate and report findings. They do not speak on behalf of the United Nations itself. A copy of the letter was also sent to India's government.

What is transnational repression, and how does it relate to this case?

Singh travelled to the UN in Geneva earlier this year to appeal for international action against what he describes as India's targeting of Sikh activists abroad, often labelled transnational repression. Sikh activists accuse India of pursuing community members overseas, including alleged killings carried out through organized crime networks, a charge India denies. The best known case is the 2023 killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a friend of Singh's who was shot dead near the Vancouver-area Sikh temple he led.

What has Canada said about India's alleged involvement?

Former prime minister Justin Trudeau publicly accused India of involvement in Nijjar's assassination, an allegation Canadian intelligence later repeated. India rejected the claims, and relations between the two countries deteriorated, with each expelling several diplomats in 2024. Ties improved after Prime Minister Mark Carney took office last year, culminating in a March visit to India to sign several trade deals, as Canadian authorities also softened their earlier threat assessment.

What is the Khalistan movement, and why is Singh being targeted?

Singh, 44, belongs to a fringe movement advocating for an independent Sikh state called Khalistan, the same cause Nijjar supported. The Khalistan campaign dates back to India's 1947 independence and has been linked to the assassination of a prime minister and the bombing of a passenger jet. It remains a contentious issue between India and Western nations with large Sikh populations. The UN experts said the threats against Singh appear to fit "a broader pattern of transnational repression by Indian authorities against Sikh activists in different countries, including Canada."

What has Moninder Singh said in response?

Singh told AFP the letter was "a stark reminder of how far the Indian state is willing to go to silence Sikh voices advocating for self-determination." He said a foreign state acting violently on Canadian soil to silence dissent points to a serious failure to protect targeted communities. Singh added that his activism is grounded in international law and human rights principles, and said he will not be intimidated into silence.