Pakistani court sentences Baloch activist Mahrang Baloch to life in prison

A Pakistani anti-terrorism court has handed down life sentences to prominent civil rights activist Mahrang Baloch and Sibghatullah Shah, a leader of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), for the killing of a paramilitary soldier during a protest in July 2024. Baloch's lawyer has stated his intention to appeal the verdict in the Balochistan High Court.

Baloch, who has been detained since March 2025, has been a vocal critic of enforced disappearances and alleged human rights violations in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, a region experiencing a decades-long insurgency by ethnic separatists. Human rights activists have voiced concerns over the trial, noting that the accused participated via video link from prison and boycotted the proceedings. They argue that the convictions could further erode public trust in the state.

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Those who take the law into their own hands under the guise of peaceful protest, promote violence, and target state officials are in fact facilitators of terrorism.

The Balochistan government, however, maintains that the verdict, announced on Monday, followed a fair trial. Officials stated that the ruling validates their position that protesters who resort to violence and target state officials can be prosecuted under anti-terrorism laws. Sarfaraz Bugti, the chief minister of Balochistan province, declared that justice had been served for Sepoy Shabbir Baloch, who was killed during duty amidst the protests in the port city of Gwadar.

"Those who take the law into their own hands under the guise of peaceful protest, promote violence, and target state officials are in fact facilitators of terrorism," Bugti stated. The Quetta anti-terrorism court found Baloch and Sibghatullah guilty of murder and terrorism-related offenses, citing eyewitness and medical evidence that they incited protesters to attack paramilitary personnel. In response, BYC organizer Lala Abdul Baloch condemned the trial as "faceless" and warned of increased resistance from Baloch youth, stating that "When you close access to the corridors of justice, then more people will rise up against the state." The BYC has called for a province-wide strike to protest the court's decision.

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When you close access to the corridors of justice, then more people will rise up against the state.