The United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders, Mary Lawlor, has expressed concern over harassment and attempts to criminalise women’s rights activist Dr Sabiha Baloch and her family.
In a statement, Lawlor, who is mandated to monitor and report on the situation of human rights defenders, said she had also received reports of continued targeting of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) by the state. She noted that the reported actions appeared to be linked to the individuals’ and organisation’s peaceful advocacy for the promotion and protection of human rights.
She emphasised that harassment and legal action against individuals working in the field of human rights are unacceptable and called for such measures to be halted immediately.
There has been no immediate response from Pakistani authorities regarding the concerns raised in the statement.