19/01/2026

International conference dedicated to the repressive policy of the Indian government against ethnic minorities held in Baku

January 16, 2026, international conference dedicated to the repressive policy of the Indian government against ethnic minorities was held, titled “RACISM AND VIOLENCE AGAINST SIKHS AND OTHER MINORITIES IN INDIA: THE REALITY ON THE GROUND” under the organization of the Baku Initiative Group for the first time in Azerbaijan.

The event brought together Ramesh Singh Arora, Minister for Human Rights and Minority Affairs of the Punjab Province, alongside other officials, as well as leading representatives of the Sikh diaspora from Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Participants also included heads of think tanks, academicians from universities worldwide specialized in human rights and ethnic minority studies and Individuals who have been direct victims of the Indian government’s repressive, racist, and persecutory policies.

The conference hosted an exhibition commemorating the Sikhs who lost their lives during Operation Blue Star, which the Indian government carried out in 1984. The exhibition showcased items regarded as sacred within Sikh religious tradition. The guests then observed a one-minute silence to honour Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was killed in a terrorist attack in Canada in 2023, along with other members of the Khalistan movement.

Executive Director of the Baku Initiative Group (BIG) Abbas Abbasov emphasised the organisation’s sustained support for communities affected by various forms of present day colonialism, with particular focus on the protection of their violated rights through international advocacy. The conference also included a video presentation highlighting the organisation’s achievements and impact at the international level.

The event featured a short film produced by BIG, presenting the human rights violations and crimes committed by the Indian government against Sikhs, as well as the systemic discrimination that other ethnic minorities face.

Representatives of the Sikh community from across the globe engaged in in-depth discussions on the origins of discrimination against Sikhs and the ongoing struggle of the Sikhs for freedom. The discussions analysed the situation of Sikhs and other minorities who, as a result of the Indian government’s repressive policies, were forced to leave their homeland and have since resettled in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and other countries. The attendees examined state-sponsored acts of terror targeting Sikh activists, the principal political, legal, and security challenges confronting the Sikh community within India and, in particular, the regional and international security risks stemming from India’s policies of violence and intimidation, as well as potential avenues for redress under international law.

The conference addressed the Indian government’s gross violations of its obligations under the “International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights”, “The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination”, and “The Convention against Torture” with respect to ethnic minorities. Discussions focused on ensuring that the situation on the ground remains on the agenda of international organizations and on the adoption of relevant measures. Particular attention was given to the investigation of the rights of ethnic minorities in India, including extrajudicial executions carried out without judicial proceedings, as well as the documentation of human rights violations by UN Special Rapporteurs and the prospects for bringing those issues under international monitoring.

The event also focused on the role of international and local non-governmental organisations,  academic communities in this process with particular attention to the influence of their reports, legal analyses, and recommendations on international decision-making mechanisms.

At the conclusion of the event, the Baku Initiative Group and Global Sikh Organisations issued a final document entitled ‘Call for International Action’, calling for an end to the four decades of impunity for acts of violence committed against Sikhs.

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