Baloch leaders' year-long detention raises judicial freedom concerns

The Baloch Yakjehti Committee alleges its senior leaders remain imprisoned for nearly a year in Balochistan, initially under MPO law. The group claims politically motivated cases and judicial delays are preventing their release.

The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) has alleged that several of its senior leaders have remained imprisoned for nearly a year, raising serious concerns about judicial independence and due process in Balochistan, according to a report published by The Balochistan Post (TBP).

Initial Detention and Subsequent Cases

In a statement cited by TBP, the BYC said that its prominent leaders, Dr. Mahrang Baloch, Bebarg Baloch, Shaji Baloch, Gulzadi Baloch and Beebow Baloch, were initially detained under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (3-MPO). The group stated that they were held for three months without trial under the preventive detention law.

The committee further alleged that once the MPO detention period expired, authorities registered what it described as "politically motivated" cases to keep the leaders in continued custody. According to the statement, many of the charges brought against them were bailable in nature. However, the BYC claimed that repeated physical remands, delays in the submission of investigation reports, and procedural hurdles prevented their release.

Bail Denied Amid Concerns Over Judicial Process

The statement, as reported by TBP, added that investigations in several cases have already been completed and charge sheets submitted before the courts. Despite this, the accused leaders have not been granted bail.

The BYC also referred to proceedings before the High Court, stating that bail applications were heard on December 17, 2025, and the judgment was reserved. However, no decision was issued for nearly three months. On February 23, the court disposed of the applications and directed that the cases proceed to trial instead of granting bail.

Describing the delay as a "denial of liberty," the BYC questioned whether courts were functioning independently in politically sensitive cases. The committee asserted that prolonged judicial delays undermine fundamental rights and erode public confidence in the justice system.

Calling for timely and transparent trials, the group urged that bail principles be applied equally and that judicial decisions remain free from any external pressure. "Justice delayed is justice denied," the statement concluded. (ANI)

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