Dublin, April 2 (NationPress) Mary Lawlor, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders, voiced serious concerns regarding the ongoing harassment and criminalization of women's rights advocates, particularly focusing on Sabiha Baloch, the leader of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), along with her family, by the authorities in Pakistan. This troubling trend also extends to other members of the BYC.

Lawlor urged for an immediate cessation of these actions, emphasizing that they seem to be directly linked to the organization's peaceful endeavors in defending and promoting human rights.

“I am deeply troubled by the continuous harassment and criminalization faced by WHRD Sabiha Baloch and her family in Pakistan, along with the targeting of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC). These actions appear to be retaliatory measures against their non-violent efforts to uphold human rights and must come to an end,” Lawlor stated on X.

Recently, the BYC issued a strong statement condemning what it termed the “unfounded and politically motivated accusations” against Sabiha Baloch and the organization, asserting that they have consistently operated as a peaceful movement advocating for justice in Balochistan.

The committee highlighted that during a press briefing on March 18, Balochistan's Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti and the Inspector General of Police presented Farzana Zehri—who was forcibly disappeared from Khuzdar district in December 2025—after being incommunicado for over three months. She was coerced into making statements against the BYC and Sabiha, linking them to militant activities and alleged suicide attack training.

The rights body raised alarming concerns, alleging that the Pakistani establishment is employing propaganda and orchestrated press conferences to intimidate human rights defenders.

“This situation raises significant constitutional and legal questions: Where was Farzana Zehri during her absence? Why was she not brought before a court? Why was she held without communication instead of in a lawful detention facility? Her coerced testimony lacks credibility,” the BYC remarked.

“This apparent propaganda seems intentionally crafted to rationalize the unlawful detention of BYC leaders and to facilitate a state crackdown on the organization, while undermining a peaceful movement advocating for justice. There is no substantiated evidence linking Sabiha Baloch or BYC to these allegations,” it added.

Earlier in March, the BYC commemorated one year since what it deemed the “illegal detention” of its leadership, stating that the extended imprisonment of Mahrang Baloch and other leaders indicates the “panic” of the Pakistani system rather than any legitimate punishment.

Various human rights organizations have recently called for the immediate release of BYC leaders, urging that all “false and politically motivated charges” be dismissed and that free and fair trials free from state interference be ensured.