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Jagtar Singh Johal

Question for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

UIN 147006, tabled on 1 February 2021

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, for what reason have consular staff not yet visited Jagtar Singh Johal in person.

Answered on

9 February 2021

Mr Johal's welfare continues to be a priority, as is ensuring his ongoing access to his legal representatives. Since his detention, consular staff have visited Mr Johal 29 times. In-person consular visits to prisons in India are currently suspended due to the Coronavirus pandemic. However, consular staff have secured telephone access to Mr Johal in lieu of visits and have been in regular contact with the relevant jail authorities to monitor Mr Johal's health since the introduction of lockdown measures. Consular staff last spoke to Mr Johal by telephone on 20 January, and also spoke to him on 15 December and 12 November. Additionally, on 8 January, consular staff were exceptionally allowed by the Indian authorities to visit Mr Johal while he was in police custody.