On 26 March 2014, human rights defender Mr Nasrullah Baloch was subjected to death threats and intimidation by state security forces, following his appearance at the Supreme Court hearing regarding cases of missing persons. This follows a pattern of intimidation and threats made against the human rights defender and his family.
Nasrullah Baloch is the Chairperson of Voice of Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) and has come to prominence for his work on cases of missing persons and extrajudicial killings. The human rights defender is also assisting the Supreme Court in the context of an investigation into mass graves in Balochistan.
Nasrullah Baloch took part in the Supreme Court hearings concerning a number of disappeared persons on 25 March 2014. He also met with the head of the Norwegian Mission to discuss the cases. The hearings were attended by officers of the military and intelligence, who observed the exchange with the Norwegian diplomat and made threatening gestures towards the human rights defender. Nasrullah Baloch was then followed back to his hotel in Islamabad by plain clothes officers.
On 26 March 2014, after attending a second day of hearings, Nasrullah Baloch was followed by intelligence agents to his travel agent, where he was to confirm his flight home. His ticket was destroyed by the intelligence officials at the Blue Area market. The officials stated that “You are [a] traitor and briefing the Norwegian mission, the foreigners about the missing persons,” adding that if Nasrullah Baloch continued with his work, he would be killed as others have been.
While travelling to the airport that same evening, the human rights defender was stopped and searched by persons in civilian clothing. Nasrullah Baloch was later told at security clearance inside the airport that his luggage would be searched because the authorities had information that he was carrying arms. He was also subjected to a body search before being allowed to proceed.
After passing through security, Nasrullah Baloch was approached by a person in plain clothes and told that he had been lucky, as a gun could have been planted in his luggage during the search, causing him to be arrested for attempting to carry arms onto an aircraft. The human rights defender was also told that his hotel room had been searched and that there was nowhere beyond the reach of those involved in the intimidation. Furthermore, Nasrullah Baloch was warned that if he did not cease attending court hearings concerning the cases of missing persons, as well as mass graves in Balochistan, and bringing the issues to international attention, he would be severely punished.
In November 2013, one of Nasrullah Baloch‘s younger brothers was approached by armed personnel who warned him that if the human rights defender continued with his work on disappearances, Nasrullah Baloch would be “dealt with in a wrong way.“In October 2013, during a march from Quetta to Karachi to raise awareness of the issue of disappearances, led by Nasrullah Baloch, the human rights defender’s other brother was abducted, tortured and released. The brother was told by officials of the intelligence agencies that if Nasrullah Baloch did not stop campaigning against disappearances he would be eliminated.
In September 2012, following the visit of the UN Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances to Balochistan, the vice chairman of VBMP received threats. Nasrullah and others submitted an application to the Supreme Court of Pakistan about the threats received and the Chief Justice directed the police to file a First Information Report (FIR) regarding the threats. The Supreme Court, on more than one occasion, ordered the police of Quetta to file FIRs on the threats. However, the police have failed to comply with the ruling.
Front Line Defenders is seriously concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of Nasrullah Baloch, especially given the gravity of the threats made against him and the fact that they come from state security forces.
Front Line Defenders urges the authorities in Pakistan to:
- Carry out a thorough, impartial and immediate investigation into the death threats against and ongoing intimidation of Nasrullah Baloch and his brothers with a view to publishing the results and bringing those responsible to justice in accordance with international standards;
- Immediately and unconditionally cease all further forms of surveillance or harassment against Nasrullah Baloch, as it is believed that these measures are not only solely related to his legitimate human rights activities, but, furthermore, constitute a direct transgression of the rights of Nasrullah Baloch;
- Take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity and security of Nasrullah Baloch, as well as colleagues and members of his family;
- Guarantee in all circumstances that all human rights defenders in Pakistan are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions.
