Amnesty International: Adding Baloch Activists on Pakistan’s Terror watchlist Is an Affront to Human Rights
Tawazon – Amnesty International has condemned the Pakistani government for adding 32 social activists, including several Baloch rights defenders, to its terrorism watchlist.
The organization called this decision, an affront to due process and their rights to liberty, privacy and freedom of movement
Babu Ram Pant, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for South Asia, said that listing peaceful Baloch activists such as Sabiha Baloch, Sami Deen Baloch, Shali Issa, Naz Gul, and Syeda Bibi Sharif as terrorists without following legal procedures undermines their rights to freedom, privacy, and movement.
“Amnesty International has long raised concerns about the anti-terrorism law in Pakistan as it doesn’t comply with international human rights standards, grants broad powers to detain and proscribe individuals who are merely exercising their human rights, nd fails to ensure fair trial guarantees. The law has systematically been weaponized and used to target dissent inside the country and crack down on critical voices,” he said.
This designation comes at a time when worrying reports of unlawful killings are emerging from parts of Balochistan province.
Human rights groups have repeatedly expressed concerns over Pakistan’s broad anti terrorism laws, which they say fail to comply with international human rights standards.
