A group of five United Nations special rapporteurs has formally urged the Canadian government to implement all available measures to ensure the safety of Moninder Singh, a Canadian national and Sikh activist. The experts, who are appointed by the Human Rights Council to monitor human rights globally, highlighted that Singh has been the target of what they described as "transnational repression by Indian authorities."
In an official letter dated 3 June, which was made public two months later, the experts expressed deep concern regarding "allegations of foreign intimidation and reprisals" directed at Singh. The correspondence noted that since 2022, Canadian authorities have issued four separate "duty to warn" notices to Singh, indicating the presence of credible and imminent threats to his life. The UN experts called on Ottawa to accelerate investigations into these threats, hold perpetrators accountable, and provide adequate remedies to victims to prevent further incidents.
The letter was authored by rapporteurs specializing in human rights defenders, freedom of religion, freedom of peaceful assembly, counter-terrorism, and the promotion of a democratic international order. A copy was also transmitted to the Indian government. While these experts operate independently and do not represent the UN as a whole, their intervention underscores the growing international scrutiny surrounding the alleged targeting of Sikh activists abroad.
Moninder Singh, 44, is a proponent of the Khalistan movement, which seeks an independent Sikh state. He visited the UN in Geneva earlier this year to advocate for international action against the alleged targeting of his community. Sikh activists have frequently accused India of orchestrating violence against them globally, including alleged assassinations involving organized crime, charges that the Indian government consistently denies.
The situation recalls the 2023 killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a friend of Singh’s who was shot dead outside a Sikh temple in a Vancouver suburb. Former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau publicly linked Indian officials to that assassination, a charge that led to a significant diplomatic rift and the mutual expulsion of diplomats in 2024.
Responding to the UN experts' letter, Singh stated that the intervention serves as a "stark reminder" of the lengths to which the Indian state is allegedly willing to go to suppress dissent. He emphasized his refusal to be silenced, noting that his advocacy is grounded in international law and human rights. Singh added that when a foreign state feels empowered to commit violence on Canadian soil, it represents a profound failure to protect the safety of targeted communities.
