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Baloch Voice for Justice has alleged continued suppression of dissent and renewed concerns over enforced disappearances in Balochistan, citing two recent posts shared on X regarding the treatment of families of detained leaders and the nine-year disappearance of Mir Siraj Jattak.
As mentioned by Baloch Voice for Justice on X, families of detained leaders of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee attempted to hold a press briefing at the Quetta Press Club to challenge the continued detention of their relatives and a recent High Court ruling that denied bail after what they described as months of delay. According to the organisation, authorities refused them access to the venue. When permission to use the press club hall was denied, the families addressed members of the media outside the building. The group alleged that police intervened during the interaction and attempted to block journalists from covering the event, with reporters reportedly pushed back in what it described as an effort to limit public visibility. The organisation further stated that the court ordered the case to proceed before the same judge despite serious concerns raised by the families regarding impartiality. It said the development raises questions about fair trial guarantees and judicial independence, adding that peaceful assembly and freedom of expression remain under pressure. In its post, Baloch Voice for Justice urged international human rights bodies, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the United Nations Human Rights Council, to urgently monitor what it termed a pattern of suppression. "Silencing families will not erase their demands. Accountability and rule of law must prevail," the group stated. In a separate post, Baloch Voice for Justice highlighted that March 3, 2026, marks nine years since the enforced disappearance of Mir Siraj Jattak. According to the organisation, he was forcibly disappeared on March 3, 2017, near Mughalzai School in Kalat, Balochistan, and has not been seen since. The group said that for nearly a decade, his family has endured uncertainty and anguish while being denied their fundamental right to know his fate and whereabouts. The organisation referenced international standards, including the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, stating that authorities are obligated to investigate such cases promptly, transparently, and impartially, ensure accountability, and provide information and remedies to affected families. It stressed that no person should be deprived of liberty without due process and that every detainee has the right to be informed of the reasons for arrest, to access legal counsel, to communicate with family members, and to be brought promptly before a competent court. Families, it added, have the right to truth, justice, and reparation. The organization called upon the relevant authorities to immediately disclose the fate and whereabouts of Mir Siraj Jattak, ensure his safe release if he is in custody or bring him promptly before a court in accordance with due process guarantees, conduct an independent and effective investigation into his disappearance, hold those responsible accountable, and provide his family with full information, protection, and appropriate remedies. It also announced that on March 3, 2026, from 8:00 PM to 12:00 AM, it will lead an online campaign on X to mark nine years of his enforced disappearance, urging human rights organisations, activists, students, lawyers, journalists, and members of the public to stand in solidarity and raise their voices for his safe recovery. (ANI)
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