BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 11. An international conference titled “Racism and Violence Against Sikhs and Other Minorities in India: The Reality on the Ground” will be held in Geneva under the organization of the Baku Initiative Group within the framework of the 61st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), Trend reports.
The event will bring together prominent representatives of the Sikh diaspora from Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States, as well as individuals who have directly suffered from the repressive, discriminatory, and persecutory policies of the Government of India.
Discussions during the conference will focus on threats and repressive policies carried out by the Government of India against ethnic communities, particularly cases in which members of these communities were forced to leave the country and now live abroad. Participants will also address the growing attacks and terror threats allegedly targeting Sikh activists, leaders of diaspora organizations, and their family members by Indian authorities in recent years.
The conference will also examine the serious risks posed by organized attacks to fundamental freedoms and human rights, along with cross-border pressure and threats directed at diaspora organizations. Participants are expected to exchange views on these issues and highlight the need to draw the attention of international organizations to the situation.
In this context, discussions will emphasize the importance of raising the issue of the Government of India’s alleged repressive policies against ethnic minorities both domestically and abroad within the agenda of the United Nations and its relevant institutions. The effective use of existing procedures and mechanisms within the UNHRC framework, as well as the systematic documentation of alleged unlawful persecution and pressure against the Sikh community by UN special rapporteurs dealing with transnational repression, ethnic minorities, and minority rights, will also be addressed.
Participants will underline the need to strengthen global accountability and monitoring mechanisms to prevent such incidents and to ensure international responsibility for the Government of India.
Following the international conference, a joint report prepared by the Baku Initiative Group and the Sikh Federation will be presented at the Geneva Press Club, where media representatives will have the opportunity to ask questions.
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