Pakistan Charges Baloch Activist Mahrang Baloch With Terrorism Amid Deadly Protests

Mahrang Baloch, a prominent Baloch rights activist and chief of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee, has been charged with terrorism, sedition, and murder following a protest in Quetta that resulted in the deaths of three demonstrators. She and over 150 activists were arrested during a police raid aimed at quelling their sit-in demanding the release of detained individuals linked to enforced disappearances. The charges against them include incitement to violence and promoting racial hatred, with authorities launching multiple FIRs related to the protest incidents. Amnesty International has called for her immediate release, citing unlawful detention and lack of access to legal counsel. The Baloch community has been increasingly vocal against what they perceive as state repression, with protests often being led by women like Baloch. The situation remains tense in Balochistan, with continued shutdown strikes and internet blackouts reported in the region.