Baku Initiative Group subjected to cyberattacks

The digital systems of the Baku Initiative Group (BIG), the organizer of an international conference dedicated to the problems of the Sikh community facing persecution in India, have been subjected to cyberattacks.

Report informs, citing BIG, that after the event, Moninder Singh Bual, Chairman of the Sikh Federation Canada, and his family were also threatened with death.

On January 16, 2026, an international conference titled "Racism and Violence Against Sikhs and Other National Minorities in India: Current Realities" was held in Baku in order to support the fair struggle of Sikhs within the framework of international law. During the event, participants discussed cases of discrimination and violence against Sikhs and other religious minorities in India and stated that the struggle would continue in accordance with international legal norms and principles.

BIG stated that in the context of global diaspora networks and digital technologies, such repression mechanisms are being carried out simultaneously in different countries. It added that the issue should therefore be regarded not merely as the internal policy of one state, but as an international problem related to transnational repression and the protection of human rights.

"Taking all these threats seriously, well-known Sikh organizations around the world are holding discussions on taking joint steps. Informing the international community and condemning the persecution carried out by the Indian government are among the primary priorities. At the same time, strengthening resilient defense capabilities against cyberattacks has become an urgent issue," the statement said.

It was also noted that the Indian government is using the fact that the international community"s attention is largely focused on wars and conflicts to intensify persecution against Sikh activists in different countries. "In recent years, pressure and persecution against the Sikh community by the Indian government have expanded further and are causing international concern," the statement emphasized.

Various human rights organizations have reported that the geography of the Indian government"s persecution of Sikh activists and diaspora representatives has expanded and taken on a transnational character.

"This issue had previously been discussed mainly in the context of the United States and Canada, but the facts show that similar pressures are also being observed in Australia, the United Kingdom, and Germany, where the Sikh diaspora is active.

As is known, Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was killed in Canada in 2023 as a result of repression carried out by the Indian government. Later that same year in the United States, US intelligence agencies uncovered and made public a plot by Indian citizen Nikhil Gupta to assassinate Sikh activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. In both incidents, links to the Indian government were alleged."

It was emphasized that transnational repression is not limited to physical threats and violence. "Methods of repression include surveillance of diaspora activists, targeted disinformation campaigns, political and diplomatic pressure, migration restrictions, reputational attacks, and cyberattacks," the statement noted.

The aim of these methods is to silence Sikh activists, restrict their activities on international platforms, and create a climate of fear within the diaspora.