Thank you for your call, Special Rapporteur on human rights, and for standing with this call for justice and due process for Dr. Mahrang Baloch and Sibghatullah Shah. Fair trial is a fundamental right, not a privilege.
#ReleaseBYCLeaders#EndUnFairTrialOfBYCLeaders
🚨 BIG
Amnesty International:
Pakistan’s military regime is taking unjust actions against people demanding their rights.
The organization says that Pakistan’s anti-terrorism laws are being used to suppress peaceful dissenting voices.
Dr. Mahrang Baloch, a doctor by profession, could have chosen a comfortable life.
Instead, she chose not to let her father's death go in vain. She stood for justice and became a voice for victims of the #BalochGenocide.
#ReleaseMahrangBaloch@MaryLawlorhrds@ColdBrief 1/
PAKISTAN: Reacting to the life sentences given by Quetta’s Anti-Terrorism court to Baloch activists Mahrang Baloch and Sibghat Ullah Shah Jee on 22 June, Amnesty International said:
“This verdict, which is an affront to the right to a fair trial, demonstrates how Pakistan’s anti-terrorism laws are being cynically misused to silence peaceful dissent. The conviction and sentence followed an expedited secret trial conducted on jail premises, during which serious concerns were raised over international fair trial standards and due process. No direct evidence was presented linking Mahrang and Shah Jee to the alleged violence.”
Read more: https://t.co/2xcoxVq85x
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
International Human Rights Foundation (IHRF) Condemns Shameful Life Sentence for Dr. Mahrang Baloch and Sibghatullah Shah by Pakistani Authorities
The Hague, The Netherlands – June 23, 2026 – The International Human Rights Foundation (IHRF) expresses its strongest condemnation regarding the reprehensible life sentence handed down by a Pakistani Anti-Terrorism Court to prominent human rights defender Dr. Mahrang Baloch and her colleague, Sibghatullah Shah .
This verdict is a blatant miscarriage of justice and a devastating blow to the rule of law in Pakistan. Dr. Baloch, a leader of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), has been a fearless and peaceful voice for the Baloch people, courageously campaigning against enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and state repression in Balochistan . Her only crime is her dedication to exposing grave human rights violations .
The IHRF is deeply alarmed by the egregious procedural irregularities and denial of due process that characterized this “secret trial” . A proceeding that denies the accused the right to effectively cross-examine witnesses or present a proper defense, held in a “faceless court” on jail premises, cannot be considered a legitimate judicial process . This is not justice; it is a politically motivated weaponization of the judicial system to silence dissent and intimidate human rights defenders .
We echo the calls of Amnesty International and other international bodies, who have condemned this verdict as an affront to the right to a fair trial . The state’s cynical misuse of anti-terrorism laws to prosecute peaceful activism represents a dangerous escalation in the crackdown on fundamental freedoms in Pakistan .
The IHRF urges the Government of Pakistan to immediately and unconditionally release Dr. Mahrang Baloch and Sibghatullah Shah, and to ensure their safety and well-being.
We call upon the international community, including the United Nations Human Rights Council, to:
1. Denounce this injustice and place Pakistan under close scrutiny for its escalating human rights violations.
2. Demand transparency in all legal proceedings against human rights defenders and a full investigation into the circumstances of this case.
3. Pressure Pakistani authorities to cease the persecution of peaceful activists and uphold their international obligations regarding due process and fundamental rights.
The IHRF stands in solidarity with Dr. Mahrang Baloch, Sibghatullah Shah, and all peaceful activists in Pakistan who risk their lives for justice and human dignity.
Amnesty International has said that the life sentences handed down by Quetta’s Anti-Terrorism Court to Baloch activists Mahrang Baloch and Sibghat Ullah Shah Jee are inconsistent with the right to a fair trial.
According to the organization, Pakistan’s anti-terrorism laws are being used to silence peaceful dissent, and no direct evidence was presented during the trial linking the two activists to the alleged acts of violence.
#TOLOnews_English
Dr Mahrang Baloch #hrd has been a peaceful and steadfast defender of the Baloch people and against the cruelty of disappearances. Her own father was detained & found dead with signs of torture. Her brother too was detained . This life sentence must be quashed @PakUN_Geneva
PEN International on Mahrang Baloch’s sentence: “This development represents a grave escalation in the use of counterterrorism legislation against peaceful activists and raises concerns regarding fair trial guarantees, & due process.”
https://t.co/N8VLJcV2ba
History shows that when the world pays attention together, it becomes harder for abuse of power to stay invisible.
This is the time to stand together against injustice!!
This verdict, which is an affront to the right to a fair trial, demonstrates how Pakistan’s anti-terrorism laws are being cynically misused to silence peaceful dissent.
https://t.co/X2cpyNzCG0
Deeply concerning. Dr. Mahrang Baloch, a women’s rights activist and Baloch rights defender, reportedly faces life imprisonment alongside other Baloch activists by Pakistani military court.
This is alarming. Standing for human rights, and justice should never be treated crime.