Sammi Deen Baloch, a central leader of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), has said the government is “afraid of the growing public support” for the group’s detained leaders, who have been in custody for more than six months.
In a post on X, she said Dr Mahrang Baloch, Beebarg Baloch, Shah Ji Baloch, Beebow Baloch, and Gulzadi Baloch have been “illegally detained,” and that their remand has been repeatedly extended under “politically motivated FIRs” without any formal charges being presented.
“At first, the authorities misused laws such as the 3-MPO,” she said. “Then they continued to extend the remand under false FIRs without presenting any formal report. Now, even in judicial custody, their court appearances are being deliberately delayed.”
She said that Pakistani authorities have now decided that all future hearings will be held inside the Quetta District Jail rather than open courts. She described the decision as “another tactic to suppress transparency and silence the people’s voice.”
“By moving proceedings behind prison walls, the state wants to hide its injustices,” Sammi Deen Baloch said. “This is a deliberate attempt to silence dissent and keep the people away from their leaders.”
The latest hearing of the BYC leadership case was conducted inside Quetta District Jail instead of the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC), a move the BYC earlier condemned as a “disturbing display of institutionalised repression.”
“By holding court proceedings inside prison walls, the state is effectively barring affected families, journalists, and independent observers from monitoring the process,” the BYC said in a previous statement. “This is a clear violation of Pakistan’s own constitution and international principles of fair trial and due process.”
Sammi Deen Baloch said the government, “fearing the growing public support for these leaders,” has resorted to closed-door hearings after failing to control the crowds that gathered outside the ATC during earlier appearances.
She added that the BYC considers these actions “illegal and repressive” and has launched a three-day online protest campaign in response. “The campaign begins today,” she said, urging the public to participate and “raise their voices against the system of oppression.”
There was no immediate response from Pakistani authorities regarding the allegations.