BIG: UN experts cite Indian intelligence plot to assassinate Sikh leader in Canada

Appeals by human rights activist Moninder Singh Bhual, Chairman of the Canadian Sikh Federation, which cooperates with the Baku Initiative Group (BIG), to international organizations, as well as reports of an assassination plot targeting him and his family, have drawn widespread international attention.

According to Report, citing the Baku Initiative Group, UN special rapporteurs state that since 2022, Canadian security authorities have officially warned Moninder Singh Bhual on four occasions about threats to his life linked to his advocacy for the Sikh people's right to self-determination on international platforms.

According to the organization, the latest warning was issued on February 22, 2026. For the first time, it referred not only to a threat against the activist himself but also against his wife and two young children. The report notes that the plot involved an attempt to assassinate the human rights defender before his trip to Geneva to attend the 61st session of the UN Human Rights Council.

The Baku Initiative Group said that five UN special rapporteurs and experts had sent an official communication to the Government of Canada, describing the threats against Moninder Singh Bhual and his family as part of a pattern of transnational repression, targeted killings, and reprisals allegedly carried out by Indian authorities and intelligence services abroad.

The letter also refers to the 2023 killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada and expresses concern over the activities of Indian intelligence services outside the country. It further states that, in addition to persecuting ethnic and religious minorities within India, the Indian authorities have used unlawful surveillance, blackmail, and other forms of intimidation against Sikh activists abroad.

The Baku Initiative Group said that following the publication of the UN experts' document, the issue received extensive coverage in international media. The organization also noted that its website and social media accounts have been regularly targeted by cyberattacks that originated from India.