A Pakistani anti-terrorism court this week sentenced two civil rights activists to life imprisonment over the killing of a paramilitary soldier during a July 2024 protest.
Mahrang Baloch, 33, is a prominent campaigner against alleged enforced disappearances in Balochistan and leader of the Balochistan Unity Committee (BYC). On June 25, she was convicted of murder and terrorism alongside fellow activist Sibghatullah Shahji. Both activists boycotted the trial and have denied the charges against them.
Baloch's lawyer, Israr Jattak, said the activists would appeal the verdict. Jattak recently met with the pair and reported that they were in good mental and physical health.
"The court is using the law as a weapon against us. The court and the judicial system exposed themselves through this judgment," Baloch told DW via her lawyer.
The verdict drew sharp criticism from rights organizations. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan called for a review of the ruling, saying the state had "continued its policy of treating fundamental rights advocacy in the same way it treats extremism, resulting in administrative and judicial decisions that are one-sided and biased."
