PEN International has called for the immediate and unconditional release of prominent Baloch human rights defender Dr Mahrang Baloch, describing her detention as part of a broader campaign to suppress dissent and silence Baloch voices.
In a statement issued on Friday, the global literary and freedom of expression organization said Dr Baloch’s arrest reflects a “deep crisis in free expression, the violent targeting of ethnic minorities, and the grave dangers faced by women who dare to speak truth to power.”
Judyth Hill, chair of PEN International’s Women Writers Committee, said: “We stand in unwavering solidarity with Mahrang Baloch, a fearless human rights defender whose courageous voice for justice and rights on behalf of the Baloch people has been met with repression, detention, and silencing by the Government of Pakistan.”
Dr Baloch was arrested on 22 March 2025 under Article 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) while participating in a peaceful sit-in in Quetta. The protest had been organised in response to a police crackdown a day earlier, in which officers reportedly opened fire on demonstrators, killing three and injuring several others.
The MPO allows for preventive detention of up to three months, pending review by a judicial board. However, PEN International noted that Dr Baloch’s detention has been extended four times without such review.
On 8 July, when her case was finally scheduled to be presented before a review board, authorities abruptly withdrew the case and presented her instead before an anti-terrorism court. She was then remanded for another ten days and now faces charges of sedition and terrorism.
Dr Baloch has denied the allegations, and her legal team has issued a defamation notice to a spokesperson for the Pakistani military, accusing the official of making “false, malicious and life-threatening” claims.
PEN International also expressed concern over Dr Baloch’s health and wellbeing in custody.
The organization pointed out that her arrest came shortly after her return from Norway, where she had addressed the World Expression Forum and PEN Norway about the deteriorating human rights situation in Balochistan.
“Mahrang Baloch is not only a doctor and human rights activist, but also a courageous writer who has used her voice to document the oppression of women and the humanitarian crisis in Balochistan,” the statement said.
It added that her advocacy has earned international recognition, including being named among the BBC’s 100 Most Influential and Inspiring Women of 2024 and Time Magazine’s 100 Next Emerging Leaders in the same year. More recently, she was reportedly nominated for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize.
PEN International concluded its statement by calling for the release of all detained leaders of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) and urging international scrutiny of Pakistan’s treatment of political activists in the region.