Amnesty International Urges Pakistan to Release Detained Baloch Activists

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

On July 16, 2025, Amnesty International issued a formal appeal to Pakistani authorities demanding the immediate release of six prominent Baloch activists detained under the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance (MPO). The organization condemned the detentions as arbitrary and unlawful, citing a broader pattern of repression in Balochistan targeting peaceful protest and free expression.

🛑 Detained Activists and Legal Concerns

The activists—Mahrang Baloch, Beebow Baloch, Bebarg Zehri, Shah Jee Sibghat Ullah, Ghaffar Qambarani, and Gulzadi Baloch—were arrested during peaceful demonstrations organized by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), a grassroots movement advocating against enforced disappearances. All six remain in custody beyond the 90-day legal limit under the MPO, which expired on June 22, violating both domestic law and international human rights standards.

Amnesty International criticized the misuse of:

• MPO (1960)
• Anti-Terrorism Act (1997)
• Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (2016)
  These laws, it argued, have been weaponized to suppress dissent and intimidate civil society actors.

⚖️ Constitutional and International Violations

Pakistan’s Constitution guarantees:

• Peaceful assembly (Article 16)
• Freedom of expression (Article 19)
• Right to life and liberty (Article 10)
• Fair trial and due process (Article 10A)

Pakistan is also bound by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which protects these rights under Articles 9, 14, 19, and 21.

💔 Allegations of Torture and Extrajudicial Killing

The BYC reported that activist Kareem Jan, previously subjected to enforced disappearance, was extrajudicially killed while in custody. His body allegedly showed signs of torture. The group called for an independent international investigation, asserting that Jan’s death reflects a systemic campaign of repression.

📊 Broader Human Rights Context

• 2,332 enforced disappearances were recorded in 2024 alone by Defence of Human Rights.
• Recent drone strikes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reportedly killed 17 civilians, including five children, raising further concerns about the use of force under counterterrorism operations.

Amnesty International urged Pakistan to:

• Release all activists detained solely for exercising their rights
• Drop charges based on peaceful protest
• End the broader crackdown on civil society in Balochistan

---

Excerpts from jurist.org article by Tony Xun | U. Ottawa Faculty of Law, CA

You can read the full report on Jurist.org or view Amnesty’s campaign here.