Eight-year-old arrested for posting speech of Human Rights Activist Gulzar Dost

Balochistan [Pakistan] July 31 (ANI): In an escalation of state repression, Pakistani authorities have arrested an eight-year-old boy, Suhaib Baloch, from Turbat in Balochistan for sharing a speech by prominent human rights activist Gulzar Dost on social media.

Suhaib was promptly presented before an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC), highlighting the brutal crackdown on even the most vulnerable voices in the region, according to a report by Zrumbesh Urdu.

Suhaib Baloch, son of Khalid, posted a short video clip of Gulzar Dost's speech on his TikTok account, after which law enforcement agencies detained him without delay. The targeting of a child for merely sharing a peaceful speech signals the Pakistani state's ruthless efforts to silence any form of dissent in Balochistan.

Gulzar Dost, coordinator of Turbat Civil Society and a vocal critic of enforced disappearances and widespread human rights abuses, was himself arrested by the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on July 7. He remains in custody without being produced before a court, raising serious concerns about the legality and transparency of his detention. Charges reportedly include "provocative speeches," a vague accusation often used to crush legitimate activism.

Dost's family has appealed for his immediate court appearance and protection of his constitutional rights, while civil society groups and human rights organisations condemn the arrests as blatant violations of fundamental freedoms. The use of anti-terrorism laws to imprison children and activists alike only deepens the climate of fear and repression in Balochistan.

The case has ignited outrage among Baloch activists, who have taken to the social media platform X to condemn the arrest of the child, seeing it as yet another example of the Pakistani state's systemic oppression of Baloch voices.

This disturbing incident underscores the ongoing abuse of power by Pakistani authorities in Balochistan, where enforced disappearances, arbitrary detentions, and state violence against civilians, including children, have become tools to crush any call for justice or human rights.

The international community and human rights defenders must urgently condemn this repression and demand accountability from Pakistan for its persistent violations in Balochistan. (ANI)

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