Ravinder Jeet Singh, a US citizen (on right) and Damandeep Singh (on left)

LUDHIANA, Punjab (March 9, 2015)—Earlier today, Ravinder Jeet Singh (a US citizen) and Damandeep Singh (human rights activist from from Punjab) were presented in Ludhiana Sessions Court by the police.  Both were brought here handcuffed, against the orders of the Supreme Court.  Without deliberating on the case, the court adjourned until March 20.

Ravinder Jeet Singh and Damandeep Singh were not allowed to meet their family members.  Both have refused to pay bond for their bail, as they claim no wrongdoing.

A representative of the US embassy who was to attend the court hearing was also not present.  It is important to mention that Ravinder Jeet Singh and Damandeep Singh were arrested and kept in custody by the police without charge for 24 hours.  It was only with the intervention of the US Embassy (Delhi) officials that charges were finally filed the next day.
Ravinder Singh Singh of California and Damandeep Singh were arrested by the police on Februrary 26, 2015.  They were merely accompanying Bapu Surat Singh, Ravinder Jeet Singh’s elderly father, at the Ludhiana Civil Hospital when the police arrived there and arrested them, along with dozens of other Sikh activists.  Bapu Surat Singh (California) is a human rights activist who is also being kept in police custody and being force feed.  He was a hunger strike since January 16, to seek release of Sikh political prisoners who have already completed their terms.