Geneva [Switzerland], March 27: United Nations experts have called on Pakistan to immediately release detained Baloch human rights defenders and halt its crackdown on peaceful protesters, according to a press release by UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders.
According to the release, the police response to protests by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), a group advocating for Baloch rights, has been a major focus of concern. In the aftermath of the attack, several prominent BYC members were reportedly arrested or forcibly disappeared by Pakistan's Counter Terrorism Department.
On March 21, 2025, BYC peacefully protested outside the University of Balochistan, demanding the release of detained activists, and was violently disrupted by Quetta Police. The incident resulted in the deaths of three protesters, with many others injured and dozens arrested. The experts condemned the excessive use of force against peaceful demonstrators, emphasizing that such measures cannot help heal the trauma caused by the terrorist attack, as highlighted by the release.
Following the police violence, BYC members, including prominent human rights defender Mahrang Baloch, organized a sit-in protest on March 22, 2025, in Quetta. During the protest, police raided the demonstration, using batons and tear gas to disperse the crowd. Mahrang Baloch and several other activists were detained, with Mahrang's whereabouts unknown for several hours before being denied family visits or legal counsel. She, along with many others, faces charges under Pakistan's Anti-Terrorism Act, as mentioned by the release.
On March 24, 2025, Sammi Deen Baloch, another prominent female human rights defender from the BYC, was arrested in Karachi while protesting the ongoing crackdown. She was reportedly detained for 30 days under the Sindh Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance.
According to the release, experts have voiced deep concern for the welfare of those detained, including Mahrang and Sammi Deen Baloch, and have urged the Pakistani authorities to release all detained activists immediately. They also called for an end to the use of counter-terrorism laws to target human rights defenders and demanded clarity on the fate of those who have disappeared.
The experts also expressed growing concern over the increasing reports of arrests and enforced disappearances of Baloch activists, particularly following a terrorist attack on a passenger train by Baloch separatists on March 11.
The experts further urged the Pakistani government to address the underlying conditions contributing to terrorism, in accordance with the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. They remain in contact with the Pakistani authorities, seeking urgent clarification on the situation.
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