SAN FRANCISCO: On November 22,1991 Judge Lawrence Di Costanzo, of the Immigration Court, San Francisco Calf, heard and granted political asylum to Avtar Singh and Jaswinder Singh.

Both of these Sikh youths came to United States in search of freedom and with outany documents, on March 7.1991. At the San Francisco airport and the downtown office, they were questioned through an interpreter and then gave their account of the torture and harassment at the hands of the Punjab police they were released on their own recognizance and without any bail bond.

Both of them argued that they are members of the All India Sikh Student Federation and took part i the calls by the AISSF. They took part in peaceful demonstrations in furtherance of the AISSF

Goals and the creation of Khalistan, (home of the pure). As a result there of, they were arrested and tortured. Both showed the Judge scars on their persons which were as a result of the ill-treatment torture given to them in the torture cells.

Both of them testified in person. The trial lasted for nearly four hours. They did not have anything to offer like letters from home, copies of police records, and affidavits of any kind t0 support their contentions, which are basically self-serving.

Immigration was represented by Harold Spar, a general attomey and Avtar Singh and Jaswinder Singh, were represented by Mohinder Singh, Atorney at Law, based in Lafayette California for whom, these two cases were 15th and 16th successful political asylum cases for Sikh youths fighting for freedom and creation of a homeland of the Sikhs called Khalistan.

Article extracted from this publication >> November 29, 1991