Why Two Baloch Activists Got Life Sentences: What You Need to Know About Pakistan’s Anti-Terrorism Trials

Quetta, Pakistan, MMN Correspondent: Imagine being sentenced to life in prison for attending a peaceful protest. That’s exactly what happened to two prominent Baloch activists in Pakistan, and the world is paying close attention. On June 22, 2026, Mahrang Baloch and Sibghat Ullah Shah Jee, both members of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), received life sentences from Quetta’s Anti-Terrorism Court. The charges? Alleged involvement in a protest where a security officer lost his life back in July 2024. But here’s the thing: the trial was held in secret, behind closed doors, on jail premises. No public scrutiny. No media access. And the activists themselves boycotted the proceedings, saying they were denied a fair hearing.

Let’s rewind a bit. The protest in question was the Baloch Raji Machi, or Baloch National Gathering, a peaceful demonstration calling for an end to enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and economic neglect in Balochistan. It was a nonviolent assembly, but it turned tragic when a Frontier Corps officer died. At least three protesters were also injured. Yet, no one else has been charged in connection with the killing. That raises an interesting question: why were only these two activists singled out?

Mahrang Baloch is no stranger to advocacy. She’s been a vocal champion for Baloch women’s rights and indigenous land sovereignty. Her activism led to her arrest in March 2025 after a peaceful sit-in. Then came the charges: over two dozen cases under Pakistan’s anti-terrorism laws. That’s a staggering number, one that overwhelmed her legal team and made it nearly impossible to build a proper defense. Sibghat Ullah Shah Jee faced a similar barrage of charges, all based on his activism rather than any concrete evidence.

Now, let’s talk about the trial itself. It was conducted in a way that violates international fair trial standards set by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Both defendants were only allowed to participate via video link in the final stages. No direct evidence linked them to the fatal incident. The court relied on circumstantial claims: Mahrang was accused of giving a speech where she called state officials ‘occupiers’—a term common in nationalist discourse but not legally equivalent to incitement to violence. Shah Jee was implicated for allegedly being part of a crowd that charged toward the officer, but no forensic or eyewitness testimony confirmed his role.

Amnesty International’s Acting Regional Director for South Asia, Isabelle Lassee, called the verdict a misuse of anti-terrorism laws to suppress dissent. “This is not justice—it is political repression disguised as legal action,” she said. And she’s not alone in her concern. The Baloch Yakjehti Committee, founded in 2018, has been documenting disappearances, organizing hunger strikes, and advocating for greater autonomy in Balochistan—a province rich in resources but economically neglected. Over the past decade, more than 300 Baloch activists have reportedly been detained without trial, many subjected to torture and forced confessions. Nearly 70% of these detentions occurred under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, a law criticized for its vague definitions and broad scope.

This case fits a troubling pattern: state forces are rarely held accountable for violence against civilians, while activists are quickly criminalized. Between 2018 and 2025, at least 14 Baloch leaders were sentenced under terrorism charges despite lacking credible evidence. The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has repeatedly called on Pakistan to release all individuals imprisoned for peaceful expression. Secret trials and military-style courts, they warn, undermine public trust in the judiciary. In Pakistan, over 80% of anti-terrorism cases are heard in specialized courts with minimal oversight, often denying defendants access to family, media, and independent legal representation.

International pressure is mounting. The European Union has urged Pakistan to review all cases involving peaceful protesters. The United States Department of State has expressed concerns about using counterterrorism laws to target civil society. For Mahrang Baloch and Sibghat Ullah Shah Jee, the fight continues—not just for their freedom, but for the broader right of the Baloch people to speak out without fear. Their case symbolizes a larger struggle: the balance between state control and civic courage, between silence and resistance.

The world is watching closely. With each passing day, the delay in their release deepens questions about Pakistan’s commitment to rule of law and human dignity. As Amnesty International insists, these activists must be released immediately, with all charges related to their peaceful advocacy dropped. Justice, they argue, should never come at the cost of fairness, transparency, or truth. The coming months will determine whether Pakistan chooses to uphold its constitutional obligations—or further entrench a system where dissent is punished and justice is selectively applied.