Hearing for Mahrang Baloch held inside jail, BYC condemns 'Institutionalised Repression'

Balochistan [Pakistan] October 14 (ANI): The most recent hearing concerning Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) leader Mahrang Baloch and other imprisoned officials took place inside Quetta District Jail rather than the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC), as revealed on Sunday, with the organisation labelling this decision as a "worrying example of institutionalised repression," according to a report by The Balochistan Post (TBP).

In a statement shared on the social media platform X, the BYC announced that the judicial remand for the detained leaders has been prolonged for another ten days. Mahrang Baloch and fellow BYC leaders, including Sibghatullah Baloch, Beebow Baloch, Beebarg Baloch, and Gulzadi Baloch, were apprehended under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) ordinance in March and have remained in detention since, with their remand being extended on several occasions, as highlighted in the TBP report.

The organisation asserted that conducting court hearings within prison facilities is a calculated move "to stifle transparency, diminish public scrutiny, and criminalise peaceful political opposition in Balochistan." "By transferring proceedings behind prison walls, the state is effectively hindering affected families, journalists, and independent observers from overseeing the process," read the statement. "This constitutes a blatant infringement of Pakistan's own constitution and international standards of fair trial and due process," as stated in the TBP report.

Advocate Israr Baloch, who defended Dr Mahrang, verified that the hearing occurred on Saturday and was overseen by Judge Muhammad Ali Mubeen of Anti-Terrorism Court No. 1 (ATC-1). He mentioned that instead of bringing the BYC leaders to the court, the legal team was called to Quetta District Jail, where the proceedings took place.

"During the hearing, the prosecutor did not present the challan, which prevented formal charges from being established and the trial from commencing," he explained. The subsequent hearing has been postponed until 18 October, with the judge instructing the prosecution to submit the challan by that date, TBP reported. (ANI)

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