Amnesty International has urged Pakistani authorities to overturn life sentences issued against Baloch activists Mahrang Baloch and Sibghatullah Shah Jee, and to release them without delay.
The organization said that the conviction by an anti-terrorism court in Quetta, in connection with a 2024 protest during which a security officer was killed, violates international standards of fair trial rights.
Isabelle Lassee, Acting Regional Director for South Asia at Amnesty International, said the ruling shows that Pakistan’s anti-terrorism laws are being used to suppress peaceful protests. She added that the trial was conducted secretly inside a prison and raised serious concerns regarding fair trial standards, as no direct evidence was presented against the activists.
Amnesty International further stated that Mahrang Baloch was arrested in March 2025 during a peaceful sit-in and later faced more than 20 anti-terrorism cases, making it extremely difficult for her legal team to provide an effective defense.
