Amnesty urges end to ‘brutal crackdown’ on Baloch protests, voices concern over organisers’ arrest

Rights organisation Amnesty International on Tuesday demanded “an end to the brutal crackdown on the Baloch protests” and said that the arrest of organisers was “extremely concerning and indicative of the continuing decline in civil and political rights in Pakistan”.

At least three people died and several were injured after participants of the Balochistan Yakjehti Committee (BYC) protest clashed with security personnel in different areas of the province a day ago. Despite roadblocks put in place by the authorities, a large number of people managed to make their way from across the province to Gwadar’s Marine Drive for the Baloch Raji Muchi (Baloch national gathering).

On Monday, the military said a soldier was martyred and 16 other security personnel, including an officer, were injured in firing by “an unruly mob” in Gwadar during clashes between the forces and supporters of the BYC. On the other hand, BYC leader Dr Mahrang Baloch claimed hundreds of their supporters had been arrested over the past two days.

According to the latest reports emerging from the area, which is under a road and communications blockade, participants of the Baloch Raji Muchi are still present in Gwadar.

Security forces launched a crackdown after the clashes to disperse the participants of a sit-in organised by the BYC on Marine Drive, officials had said. The local administration had claimed that the situation was becoming normal, adding that police had arrested over two dozen protesters during the crackdown against the participants of the sit-in which began on Sunday evening after the end of the Baloch Raji Muchi.

Earlier today, the BYC alleged that in Monday’s “ violent crackdown“, the Counter-Terrorism Department had “forcibly abducted BYC leaders along with other participants”.

It added that “those abducted include Sammi Deen Baloch, Dr Sabiha Baloch and Sibghat Abdul Haq Baloch. Their abduction was witnessed by thousands of peaceful protestors. Before abducting them, the forces beat and tortured them, then dragged them to their vehicles. Bearing baton charges, their conditions deteriorated.”

In light of the situation, Amnesty called for an end to the clampdown and urged the immediate release of the organisers.

“The reports of three deaths and the arrest of organisers, including Sammi Deen Baloch, Sabghatullah Shah and Dr Sabiha Baloch, are extremely concerning and indicative of the continuing decline in civil and political rights in Pakistan,” the group said in its statement.

“Amnesty International calls for an end to the brutal crackdown on the Baloch protests and the immediate and unconditional release of all those arrested for exercising their right of peaceful assembly.”

It added that whenever Baloch protests occurred, they were met with “violence from security forces” along with “mass arrests.”

“We saw it in December last year at the Baloch Long March,” it added.

“We see it now again with the Baloch Raji Muchi protests in what is clearly a punitive attempt by the Pakistani authorities to deter, vilify, and criminalise peaceful protesters.”

It further added that roadblocks and shutdown of internet and mobile networks in districts across Balochistan province had restricted movement and the flow of “timely information”.

It said that, under the Constitution and international human rights law, the government was obligated “to uphold the rights to freedom of expression, access to information, movement, and peaceful assembly”.

Amnesty said it had previously documented the crackdown on the “Baloch Long March which demonstrated a pattern of repressive interventions against those exercising the right to protest such as the use by police of unlawful violence and the arbitrary arrest and detention of protesters”.

In a later statement, the BYC said Dr Sabiha was released today following “public pressure and resistance”.

“However, we still have no information about Sammi Deen Baloch and Sabghatullah Baloch. They have been out of contact since yesterday morning. Additionally, more than 200 participants have been arrested from the Gwadar sit-in, and we have no information about them either,” it added.

The BYC demanded the “state and all its institutions to immediately release all the arrested colleagues, including our leadership, without any ifs and buts, restore internet and mobile network throughout Makran, including Gwadar and in all areas of Balochistan. Completely remove obstacles in front of all our convoys stopped at gunpoint by force. If the state and its institutions still do not change their … behaviour, then from today we will shut down the entire Balochistan, including Quetta, for an indefinite period and if any untoward incident occurs during this period, then all the responsibility will be on the state and it will be imposed on its institutions.”