QUETTA, BALOCHISTAN: The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) has welcomed a statement by United Nations experts criticizing the life sentences handed down to Dr. Mahrang Baloch, a leading Baloch human rights defender and BYC organizer, and Sibghatullah Shahji, calling the move a “grave injustice.”
According to BYC, the UN experts described the convictions as a travesty of justice, pointing out that they arose from a trial process that failed to meet fair-trial standards. The experts also noted that counter-terrorism and murder charges appeared to have been used to penalize the two activists for peacefully exercising their rights to free expression, assembly, and association.
BYC said its leaders have remained in detention for roughly 16 months, during which more than 50 cases have been filed against them, which the organization has described as baseless. The two were tried behind closed doors over a 26-day period, in proceedings BYC says it repeatedly protested and refused to recognize.
The organization further said that lawyers were assigned to Dr. Mahrang and Shahji by the state without their consent, despite their objections. Both were ultimately handed life sentences, and BYC noted that additional cases against them are still being heard in court.
Following the UN experts’ statement, BYC renewed its appeal to the United Nations, foreign governments, rights organizations, and civil society groups to keep up pressure on Pakistan over the ongoing persecution of human rights defenders in Balochistan, and to push for accountability over rights violations in Balochistan.
The group reiterated its pledge to continue campaigning against injustice and to defend the rights and dignity of the Baloch people.
