QUETTA, BALOCHISTAN; Protests against the life imprisonment sentences handed to Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) leaders continued across multiple areas of Quetta on Sunday, as the BYC’s Shal Zone organised a series of demonstrations including pamphlet distribution, wall chalking, a corner meeting and a protest rally stretching from Kachi Beg to Kali Kamalo.
The BYC Shal Zone carried out an active public awareness campaign in the Kachi Beg and Saryab areas, distributing pamphlets among residents and writing slogans on walls to spread their message against the court verdict.
Following the corner meeting, participants took out a protest rally from Kachi Beg to Kili Kamalo, during which further pamphlets were distributed, additional wall chalking was carried out and the public awareness campaign was extended to a wider audience.
A large number of people participated in the demonstration, raising their voices in support of justice for BYC leaders, protection of human rights and the defence of fundamental freedoms.
Participants reaffirmed their commitment to continuing their peaceful struggle against what they described as injustice and oppression. They also pledged to raise their voices on every available platform against the life sentences handed to BYC leaders and against human rights violations, vowing to sustain their resistance until justice was served.
The daytime demonstrations follow a night of significant street protests in Quetta. Large crowds took to Saryab Road on Saturday night, publicly rejecting the court’s verdict and demanding justice for the convicted BYC leaders.
Demonstrators on Saryab Road voiced strong opposition to the anti-terrorism court ruling and called on authorities to release BYC leaders, describing the sentences as politically motivated and unjust.
Protests against the BYC leadership’s life sentences have been continuous in Quetta since the verdict was announced, with demonstrations showing no signs of subsiding.
The protests come in response to a deeply controversial verdict delivered by an anti-terrorism court in Quetta, which sentenced BYC chief organiser Dr. Mahrang Baloch and fellow leader Sibghatullah Baloch to life imprisonment on charges related to the death of a Frontier Corps soldier during a protest in Gwadar in July 2024.
The verdict has triggered widespread national and international condemnation. Amnesty International described it as an affront to the right to a fair trial, while PEN International called it part of a broader campaign to suppress the Baloch community’s voice. French newspaper Le Monde also reported that Dr. Mahrang Baloch had been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for the second consecutive year, further highlighting the contradiction between her global recognition and her imprisonment.
The BYC legal team has announced a formal appeal against the verdict in superior courts.
