Woman human rights defender Beebow Baloch beaten, forcibly removed from prison custody

On 23 April 2025, woman human rights defender Beebow Baloch was forcibly removed from Hudda Prison, where she has been held since her arrest on 22 March. Reports indicate that the woman human rights defender was beaten and dragged by security forces before being removed from the prison. For several hours, there was no information about her whereabouts. It was subsequently confirmed that Beebow Baloch is now being held in the Pishin prison in Balochistan.

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Beebow Baloch is a Baloch woman human rights defender and member of the Baloch Yajkehti Committee (BYC), an umbrella organisation advocating against human rights violations in Balochistan. Beebaw Baloch is a vocal advocate for human rights, actively participating in peaceful campaigns for human rights in Balochistan. The woman human rights defender is facing reprisals due to her human rights work, calling for an end to violations against the Baloch community and accountability for perpetrators in the region, including security forces.

On 23 April 2025, a large contingent of Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) officers entered Hudda prison and forcibly removed woman human rights defender Beebow Baloch. There are credible reports that Beebow Baloch was beaten and dragged before being forcibly removed by security forces. Woman human rights defenders Dr. Mahrang Baloch and Gulzadi Baloch, jailed since 22 March and 7 April respectively, were also beaten by officers during the incident.

For several hours after she was removed from Hudda prison, there was no information about Beebow Baloch’s whereabouts. Officials provided conflicting information regarding the location of her detention, denying access to her family or lawyers. It was subsequently confirmed that the woman human rights defender was transferred to Pishin jail in Balochistan. Family members who visited Beebow Baloch have shared that the woman human rights defender was severely beaten, and raised concerns for her physical and mental safety while in custody.

Beebow Baloch was initially arrested on 22 March during a peaceful sit-in in Quetta, Balochistan while protesting the targeting of Baloch human rights defenders and police violence which took place the previous day against peaceful protesters, which killed 3 people and injured 7 others. On 22 March, at around 5:30 a.m, police officers disrupted the peaceful sit in and arrested Beebow Baloch, Dr. Mahrang Baloch and several other human rights defenders and detained them under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance (MPO) at Hudda Prison. The MPO is a regressive public order legislation which severely restricts access to bail, and which has been used to specifically target Baloch human rights defenders. On 5 April, authorities arbitrarily arrested Beebow Baloch’s father, without any legal basis, as a direct reprisal for her human rights work. He is currently detained at Hudda prison under the MPO.

Front Line Defenders is deeply concerned by the conduct of the CTD and prison officials in forcibly removing Beebow Baloch from Hudda prison and reports of physical violence committed against her, Dr. Mahrang Baloch and Gulzadi Baloch. The organisation asserts that the detention of these women human rights defenders is arbitrary and should have never taken place, as they have been targeted by the authorities with the sole purpose of punishing them for their legitimate human rights work and to prevent them from raising concerns regarding the conduct of State officials, especially the police, intelligence agencies and military in Balochistan. The transfer of a prisoner must be subject to strict judicial scrutiny, especially within a context where enforced disappearances, extra judical killings and custodial torture are prevalent. The continued targeting of human rights defenders and their families must cease, and the authorities must ensure that space is created for peaceful and legitimate dissent in Pakistan.

Front Line Defenders calls on the Pakistani authorities to:

1. Immediately release Beebow Baloch and her father;

2. Ensure the safety of Beebow Baloch in Pishin prison, including judicial oversight over her movements, medical treatment, access to family and legal counsel and guarantee of her physical and mental safety while in custody;

3. Immediately release all jailed Baloch human rights defenders, including Dr. Mahrang Baloch, Gulzadi Baloch, Bebarg Zehri, Sabghatullah Abdul Haq (Shah Jee) and detained family members;

4. Pending their release, immediately ensure that human rights defenders are not removed from prison without judicial oversight and that family members and legal counsel are provided up to date information about their place of detention, and effective access at all times without obstacle;

5. Conduct an effective and impartial inquiry into the conduct of security forces and prison officials in violently and forcibly removing Beebow Baloch from Hudda prison with a view to publishing the results and holding those responsible to justice in accordance with international standards;

6. Cease the targeting of Baloch human rights defenders under the guise of national security and ensure the protection of human rights defenders in Pakistan.