Rights group condemns ‘faceless’ trials of Baloch Yakjehti Committee leaders

Quetta, June 17 (IANS) The Human Rights Council of Balochistan (HRCB) voiced concern over the systematic and unlawful treatment of detained Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) leaders by the Pakistani authorities, saying conducting hearings in prisons or through “faceless courts” without the effective participation of defence lawyers, witnesses, family members, and public observers is incompatible with the fundamental right to fair trial.

“According to information provided by the detainees’ families and legal representatives, the authorities are now seeking to expedite these proceedings through so-called ‘faceless courts.’ If implemented, such proceedings would be conducted in secrecy, without meaningful access for lawyers, witnesses, family members, independent observers, or the public. Such practices fundamentally undermine the principles of transparency, accountability, and justice,” the HRCB said in a statement.

“Conducting hearings inside prisons or through ‘faceless courts’, without the effective participation of defence lawyers, witnesses, family members, and public observers, is incompatible with the fundamental right to a fair trial. These measures isolate defendants from legal assistance, obstruct witness participation, and deny public scrutiny of proceedings that directly affect the liberty and rights of prominent human rights defenders,” it added.

The HRCB stated that the government’s actions against BYC detainees and its interference in judicial processes were “deliberate, coordinated and systematic.” According to the HRCB, the actions include registering fabricated criminal charges, official-level defamation campaigns, collective punishment targeting the families of activists, restrictions on legal representation, and direct interference in court proceedings.

According to the statement, the government has failed to substantiate its allegations against detainees in open court proceedings. Noting that dozens of additional cases have reportedly been registered against BYC leaders in several police stations, it said: “This pattern appears designed to prolong detention indefinitely and obstruct any realistic prospect of acquittal or release.”

The HRCB urged the Pakistan government and all relevant authorities to immediately end all secret, inaccessible, or prison-based court proceedings against detained BYC leaders and members, restore all hearings to open and publicly accessible courtrooms in accordance with domestic and international fair trial standards, and ensure immediate, regular, and unrestricted access for lawyers, family members, and medical professionals to all detainees.

It further called for guaranteeing the independence and impartiality of the judiciary, free from governmental, military, intelligence, or executive interference. It demanded an independent, transparent, and credible investigation into allegations of torture, ill-treatment, and other abuses reportedly committed against detained BYC leaders and members, and hold those responsible accountable.

Several leaders of the BYC, including its chief organiser Mahrang Baloch, have been incarcerated at Central Jail Huda in provincial capital Quetta since March 2025, sparking global outrage over their continued detention, which human rights defenders allege is based on “false and politically motivated charges.”

Nadia Baloch, sister of Mahrang Baloch, criticised the proceedings, saying that faceless trials are unconstitutional, lack transparency, and erode public confidence in the judiciary.

“Today, I, with my fellow lawyers, organised a protest at Sessions Court Quetta, Quetta Kacheri, and Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Quetta against the faceless trials being held against the members of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee, including my sister Dr. Mahrang Baloch. I am a lawyer, and I can’t be silent when the fundamental rule of justice is being violated,” Nadia posted on X.

She noted that lawyers in Quetta spoke not only for the detained BYC leaders but also for the integrity of Pakistan’s justice system.

“We reject the faceless and non-transparent trials, and we demand that open, fair, and constitutional trials be restored immediately. I urge the legal profession, human rights activists, civil society, and every voice in Pakistan to unite in condemning this perilous trend. If the right to a fair trial can be threatened now, no citizen will be secure from injustice in the future,” Nadia Baloch added.

–IANS

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