A United Nations special working group has expressed grave concerns over alleged harassment, arbitrary travel restrictions, and fabricated charges against Dr. Mahrang Baloch, the leader of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), warning that her life and liberty are under “serious threat.”
In a formal communication to the Government of Pakistan, UN mechanisms, including the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances and several Special Rapporteurs, accused the Pakistani state of targeting Dr. Mahrang in retaliation for her human rights activism.
The letter emphasized that Dr. Mahrang is recognized as a human rights defender and leader of the BYC, a movement formed in response to alleged human rights violations in Balochistan, particularly enforced disappearances.
The communication detailed an incident in which Dr. Mahrang was stopped from traveling to New York for a TIME event honoring her work. Immigration officials at Karachi Airport reportedly barred her from boarding without explanation.
Shortly after leaving the airport, she and other human rights defenders were allegedly intercepted by Sindh police. The officers, according to the letter, were physically violent and verbally abusive. They reportedly seized Dr. Mahrang’s passport and phone before leaving the group stranded.
The UN letter also noted that an FIR (First Information Report) was registered against Dr. Mahrang on 11 October 2024, accusing her of terrorism and sedition. The FIR reportedly includes charges under section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) 1997, as well as sections 124-A, 148, 149, 153-A, 500, and 505 of the Pakistan Penal Code.
According to the communication, the state alleged she was collaborating with militant groups, accusations the UN Working Group described as “reportedly fabricated” and seemingly intended to deter her peaceful activism while diverting attention from alleged rights violations in Balochistan.
In addition, the letter highlighted that in July 2024, Dr. Mahrang was charged with murder following a “Baloch National Gathering” in Gwadar. Security forces allegedly claimed protesters under her leadership killed a soldier, although media reports indicated the army opened fire on a peaceful protest, resulting in multiple casualties.
The communication said that Dr. Mahrang has faced “legal harassment and other forms of reprisal” for her human rights work, including leading the Baloch Long March in late 2023 and playing an active role in the Gwadar gathering.
“In this context, it is feared that the life, liberty and personal safety of Ms. Mahrang Baloch remain at a heightened risk,” the letter warned.
The rapporteurs argued that these actions violate Dr. Mahrang’s rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, association, privacy, and family life, reflecting a broader pattern of harassment against Baloch human rights defenders, particularly women.
As a result, the UN Working Group has demanded a formal response from the Pakistani government, including clarification on the allegations. It also requested assurances regarding Dr. Mahrang’s physical and psychological well-being and measures to return her passport and restore her freedom of movement.