Dr Sabiha Baloch, a central leader of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), has described the continued detention of Dr Mahrang Baloch and other BYC members as “a clear act of political retaliation.”
In a statement, Dr Sabiha said that Dr Mahrang Baloch and her colleagues have been held for more than six months without due judicial process or the right to a fair trial.
According to her, their only “offence” is raising their voices peacefully against enforced disappearances and alleged state violence in Balochistan.
The statement said that such arbitrary detentions violate basic principles of justice as well as international human rights instruments — including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights — to which Pakistan is a signatory.
Dr Sabiha expressed concern over the reported conduct of court proceedings inside the prison, saying it undermines transparency, impartiality, and the integrity of the justice system. She alleged that judicial mechanisms are being used under pressure and fear.
She added that Dr Mahrang Baloch and her colleagues represent a courageous voice seeking truth and accountability, and that their prolonged imprisonment reflects both legal injustice and moral failure on the part of the state.
In conclusion, Dr Sabiha Baloch urged the international community to raise its voice against what she described as ongoing state repression of peaceful political activists in Balochistan and to ensure the immediate release of Dr Mahrang Baloch and all detained members of the BYC.