The Baloch National Movement’s (BNM) Foreign Department has launched an urgent international appeal to parliamentarians and political leaders across the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany, France, and the United States, calling for immediate intervention against the unlawful detention of prominent Baloch human rights defenders and political activists.
The BNM has contacted over 30 Members of Parliament (MPs) from the United Kingdom, Five from Ireland, six from the Netherlands, 30 from Germany, and several US Senators, urging them to take decisive action against the ongoing state repression in Balochistan. The detentions of Dr Mahrang Baloch, Sammi Deen Baloch, Bebarg Baloch, Beboo Baloch, Saeeda Baloch, and other activists represent a severe violation of fundamental human rights, sparking global condemnation.
MPs and Senators across Europe and North America have been made aware of the increasing persecution of Baloch activists. Among those contacted are:
• United Kingdom: Ben Obese-Jecty, Andrew Pakes, Sam Carling, Marie Rimmer, Heidi Alexander, Richard Foord, Lewis Cocking, Andrew Lewin, David William, Antonia Bance, Alex Barros-Curtis, Stephen Doughty, Paul Davies, Sally Jameson, Charlotte Nichols, Sarah Hall, Kate Dearden, Phil Brickell, Adnan Hussain, Barry Gardiner, John McDonnell, Sonia Kumar, Sarah Sackman, Dr Rupa Huq, Josh MacAlister, Sir Roger Gale, Gareth Thomas, Danny Beales, Natalie Fleet, Rushanara Ali, Feryal Clark, and Stephen Morgan.
• Ireland: Emer Higgins, Emer Higgins. Paul Murphy, Richard Boyd Barret, |
• Ministers:- Minister For Foreign Affairs, Simon Harris and Justice Minister, Barry Andrews of Ireland.
• Netherlands: Tineke Strik, Peter van Dalen, Malik Azmani, Lara Wolters, Hannah Neumann, and María Soraya Rodríguez Ramos.
• Germany: Doris Ahnen, Dr. Bernhard, Kathrin Anklam-Trapp, Christian Baldauf, Thomas Barth, Florian Bellaire, Dirk Beyer, Jutta Blatzheim-Roegler, Dr. Jan Bollinger, Bernhard Braun, Sabine Bätzing-Lichtenthäler, Ellen Demuth, Dr. Herbert Drumm, Fabian Ehmann, Philipp Fernis, Michael Frisch, Alexander Fuhr, Dr. Christoph Gensch, Horst Gies, Jennifer Gross, David Guthier, Martin Haller, Andreas Hartenfels, Dr. Lea Heidbreder, Dirk Christian Herber, Hendrik Hering, Clemens Hoch, Lana Horstmann, Michael Hüttner, and Heiner Illing.
• United States: Senators Elizabeth Warren, Todd Young, Tim Kaine, and Congressman Suhas Subramaniam.
• MEPs: Lynn Boylan, Nina Carberry, Barry Cowen, Regina Doherty, Luke Ming Flanagan, Kathleen Funchion, Billy Kelleher, Aodhan Oriordain, Maria Walsh, Cynthia Nimhurchu, Sean Kelly,
The Baloch National Movement has urged these influential figures to:
1. Publicly condemn the arbitrary detentions and enforced disappearances of Baloch activists.
2. Pressure the Pakistani government to immediately release all detained individuals and uphold human rights commitments.
3. Raise the issue in parliamentary discussions and international forums to bring global attention to the worsening human rights crisis in Balochistan.
4. Impose sanctions and diplomatic pressure on Pakistan for its continued suppression of political dissent in the region.
Dr Mahrang Baloch, a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, named among BBC’s 100 Most Influential Women of 2024 and TIME’s Next 100 Leaders of 2024, has been arbitrarily detained in Quetta alongside hundreds of peaceful activists, including Bebarg Baloch, Dr. Hammal Baloch, Beboo Baloch, and Saeeda Baloch. Sammi Deen Baloch, the winner of the Frontline Defenders Award 2024, was arrested at the Karachi Press Club along with dozens of other activists.This unlawful crackdown is yet another example of Pakistan’s systematic repression of Baloch human rights defenders. The Pakistani state continues to use brute force against members of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), who have been peacefully protesting against enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings.
The situation is made worse by the ongoing internet shutdown in Balochistan, deliberately imposed to block the flow of information and prevent the world from seeing the scale of the repression. There are grave concerns that Dr Mahrang Baloch and others will be subjected to inhumane treatment, torture, or enforced disappearance, without any legal procedures being followed.
BNM’s foreign department focal person stated, “The international community cannot afford to remain silent as Pakistan continues its systematic oppression of the Baloch people. The unlawful detention of human rights defenders is an attack on democracy and justice. We urge global leaders to stand in solidarity with the Baloch people and demand an end to this repression.”
The response from MPs, MEPs, and Senators contacted by BNM is awaited, and BNM will continue to push for formal actions, including parliamentary motions, diplomatic interventions, and advocacy within human rights organisations such as the United Nations and Amnesty International.
The Baloch National Movement calls upon the media, human rights organisations, and the global community to amplify this urgent appeal and hold the Pakistani state accountable for its systematic persecution of Baloch activists.
