United Nations human rights experts are urging Canada to “accelerate” investigations into threats to the life of a B.C. Sikh activist critical of India’s government.
Five UN special rapporteurs have written to Ottawa expressing “serious concerns” about the safety of Moninder Singh, whom Canadian police have repeatedly warned was at risk.
The joint letter said the threats may have been an attempt by India to intimidate Singh over his advocacy and co-operation with the UN.
“We are concerned that such threats fall within a broader pattern of transnational repression by Indian authorities against Sikh activists in different countries, including Canada,” it said.
The nine-page document, released by the UN Human Rights Office over the weekend, asked Canada to answer a list of questions about how it was dealing with the matter.
It said that Singh had given several speeches to UN agencies, and that some of the plots to kill him detected by police coincided with those appearances.
“We are deeply concerned at the allegations that Mr. Moninder Singh appears to have been targeted directly before or after instances of cooperation with or reporting to United Nations entities in relation to the targeting of Sikh activists by Indian authorities,” the letter said.
“These allegations, if true, may constitute unlawful intimidation and reprisals in direct retaliation for Mr. Moninder Singh’s human rights advocacy and cooperation with United Nations human rights representatives and mechanisms.”
In the meantime, the letter urged Canadian authorities to protect Singh and his family, step up investigations into the threats and hold those responsible to account.
It was signed by the rapporteurs Ben Saul, Gina Romero, Andrea Bolanos Vargas, George Katrougalos and Nazila Ghanea, who are all UN human rights rapporteurs.
While not UN officials, rapporteurs carry out mandates assigned to them by the organization and report on human rights issues around the world.
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Global Affairs Canada referred questions from Global News about the letter to Public Safety Canada, which has not responded.
The leader of the Sikh Federation of Canada, Singh is an outspoken critic of human rights in India and a supporter of the Khalistan separatist movement.
Police have informed the Surrey, B.C., resident four times that they had received credible information indicating that he faced threats to his life.
The first came in July 2022, on the same day that police gave a similar warning to his close friend Hardeep Singh Nijjar, also a pro-Khalistan activist.
On June 18, 2023, Nijjar was assassinated as he was leaving the Surrey temple where he served as president. Canadian authorities suspect India was responsible.
The FBI later disrupted a plot by a member of India’s intelligence service to kill another Canadian pro-Khalistan activist, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
Police warned Moninder Singh again about murder plots in August 2023 and March 2025, shortly after he had appeared at the UN Human Rights Council.
Two days before he was to appear before the UN in February 2026, he received yet another warning about a possible plan to kill him and his family.
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No arrests have been made over the threats.
In an interview with Global News, Singh welcomed the letter from the UN rapporteurs, although he said the Canadian government had not yet filed any response.
He said he suspected that India was not pleased that he was appearing before UN agencies to talk about its human rights abuses and treatment of minorities.
“I think it’s a huge problem for them because they haven’t seen this type of activity for a long time from the Sikh community,” he said.
New Delhi has long complained about Canadians active in the Khalistan movement that backs independence for India’s Sikh-majority Punjab.
The RCMP suspects the Nijjar murder was India’s attempt to strike a blow to the cause by targeting one of its most popular leaders, a charge it denies.
To carry out the killing, police believe Indian intelligence collaborated with the transnational crime network of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi.
More than a dozen others, mostly pro-Khalistan activists, were also believed to have been targeted, among them Singh.
Canada expelled six Indian diplomats in 2024, alleging they were collecting information on members of Canada’s South Asian community.
“This information is shared with senior levels of the Indian government, who then direct the commission of serious criminal activities against Indo-Canadians through the kinetic use of Lawrence Bishnoi’s organized crime network,” National Security Advisor Nathalie Drouin later testified.
But since the 2025 federal election that brought him to power, Prime Minister Mark Carney, under pressure to find new trade partners for Canada, has tried to mend relations with India.
Stewart.Bell@globalnews.ca
Why did the Indian set his friend’s turban on fire?
It was a sikh joke.
If Quebec and Alberta want to be separate from Canada would that be acceptable? If any other country supports them, it’s foreign interference. Canada similarly should keep it’s nose out of India’s business and let them deal with terrorists who support the country’s sovereignty in any way. They have been declared criminals and Canada is sheltering then because politicians need vote bank. India is taking stand for itself and it’s completely fine.
Don’t we have enough separatists in our own country? We should not be spending tax dollars to protect someone pushing for a separate Khalistan, especially if we’re trying to bolster trade relations with India. Also, when people emigrate to Canada, they need to leave old-world politics behind.
He needs to go home almost all immigrants say the same thing or they break the law in there country come to Canada and of course they can’t go back because they broke the law ! I’m not saying all do this but most do .
Blame the turbanators they are the uneducated trouble mongers the rest of the people are hard working I mean the non turbans from India.
They bring lot of money into the godforsaken frozen tundra called Canada.
The truth is that the White folks dislike the entire population based solely on skin colour.
These white hypocrites tend to look the other way when it comes to Muslims & Blacks because they are too afraid to accuse them.
Ben’s sarcasm is true If Carney lets Idians fight there battles here it’s liberals and weak leadership to blame not trump no PP
The Canadian government is being completely taken over by India. Two of the top members of the right wing parties of both America and Canada were stupid enough to fall for the honey pot. Asia will own all of North America soon.
@Ben Give your head a shake and pull it out of your A**. PP is NOT the PM and the Conservatives are not the government, Carney is, and should be doing something to ensure Canadians are protected from foreign threats. It is the role of the opposition to criticize the government, especially when it is blatantly not doing its job.
Lol the UN will be sorely disappointed to find out the liberals in charge dontt care about public safety at all… good luck to anyone that thinks the police will help them… Liberal catch and release makes the criminal life in Canada easy
Maybe they should leave their issues in India. Just a thought…
Surely Sikhs don’t realistically believe that the government of India, a Hindu super majority, will ever permit a breakaway independent state in that country, especially in the Punjab which is one of the richest agricultural areas of India. It’s futile for Sikhs to try and achieve their political aims from Canada or any other foreign country…they should take their activism back to India where it belongs…
I blame PP because of this threat to Indian nationals living in Canada. He criticizes Carney and the RCMP for inaction and I don’t like that.
This is what happens when so many immigrants are let into Canada without proper screening. they come to a country of freedom but then bring their issues and problems with them, then they try to make our country into theirs instead of adopting our values and ways. Why are we changing to suit their needs?
We should move closer to China, India, and Iran. Mark Carney tells me the largest threat to Canada in the American Republicans. Pp is a golf buddy with Trump, Vance, and Greer. Actually Pp lives in Mar-A-.Lago.
Import the third world, become the third world.
Elbows Up and let’s blame Trump, eh?
He’s not Canadian he’s an Indian
Liberal experts are saying that Poilievre is a greater threat to Canada without his security clearance than India China, Iran and Russia combined.
Package up everybody involved, put them on a plane back to India and let them sort their differences out there.
Carney allows this harassment and criminality to continue from India as it suits his narrative. Quite shameful behaviour.
No foreign country should be threatening a resident of another nation. Let that he said.
But if you going to come here and hide behind Canadian laws and justice while to cause trouble back home instead of leaving it behind and devoting your efforts to become part of society as it is(was)?!?
Meh?!? By all means you reap what you sow.
Yet another report that contradicts what Carney has tried to tell Canadians. A total lie just like the GH Bridge Deal. Seems a pattern is emerging.
Looks like a lot of Modi bots on here today.
I see. I understand. Ok. Fine. Alfnnxmamdndjsmsncns92747482
As a Carney bootlicker, I am fine with Mark misinforming diaspora Indian Canadian regarding the threats to them from the Govt of India. Carney is dishonest for his own cynical political gain but I am fine with that
Send him back
Doug Ford interferes in USA politics daily. Seems okay for him to do so taking order from his pal Carney. Trudeau didn’t mind Obama interfering when it benefits the Liberals.
Ben seriously must be the biggest Carney bootlicker around.
Yet Carney told everyone just before his trade deal to India in the spring the threat was over. Total gaslighting.
People don’t realise how intertwined India and Canada is.
Canada is a state of India so who are you warning?
The LPC loves terrorists
They have been funding and excusing them for over a decade now.
Their.coalition partner the NDP even elected one as their leader
Carney prefers to move closer to India who terrorizes the Indian diaspora in Canada because of his cynical political ploy to paint the USA as an enemy as it works for him.
I guess the UN is scared to talk about the foreign influence from the USA in our politics.
Carney already admitted earlier Indian diaspora have nothing to fear.