Baloch Diaspora Holds Protest in Germany Against Human Rights Violations in Balochistan

BERLIN: Baloch nationals residing in Germany gathered in Hannover on Saturday for a demonstration against the ongoing state crackdown on the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (B.Y.C.) and the illegal detention of its leadership.

The Baloch Diaspora Germany protest attracted a significant turnout of Baloch individuals, including women and children, who voiced their concerns over human rights violations in Balochistan.

The three-hour-long protest set off at Hannover Central station and marched through the city’s busy streets, culminating in a rally in the city centre where speeches were delivered and slogans were chanted. Protesters held banners and placards bearing images of the detained B.Y.C. leaders, along with slogans calling for international action against Pakistan’s human rights abuses in Balochistan.

Speakers at the protest included Shar Hassan Baloch, President of the Baloch National Movement Germany Zone, Banuk Shali Baloch, Joint Secretary of the Baloch National Movement Germany Zone, Hammal Baloch, member of the Baloch National Movement Central Committee; Abdul Jabar Baloch, General Secretary of the Baloch National Movement, Abdul Jaleel Baloch, General Secretary of the Baloch Republican Party Germany, Mir Hamad Baloch and Zaid Malang Baloch, members of the Baloch Republican Party and members of the Free Balochistan Movement Germany including Mumtaz Baloch, Banuk Razia Baloch, Obaid Baloch, Faris Baloch, and Abubakar Baloch. Human rights activists Farhad Baloch, Banuk Sobiyah Baloch, Banuk Shali Zakir Baloch, and Banuk Sarah Baloch also addressed the protest.

The speakers condemned the ongoing state crackdown on the Baloch Yakjehti Committee and the illegal arrests of prominent Baloch leaders, including Dr. Mahrang Baloch, Sabghatullah Shahji, Beebo Baloch, Bebagar Baloch, Hammal Baloch, Gulzadi Baloch, Dr. Sabihah Baloch’s father and Beebo Baloch’s father. They expressed strong disapproval of Pakistan’s actions in Balochistan and condemned the widespread human rights violations occurring in the region.

The speakers also condemned the recent crackdown by Pakistani authorities on the Baloch Yakjehti Committee and expressed outrage over ongoing human rights violations in Balochistan, including enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and the deaths of individuals already in custody through fake encounters.

“Pakistan is actively suppressing the voices of the Baloch people. The unlawful detention of B.Y.C. leaders is just one example of this systemic oppression,” said Sharhassan Baloch in his address. “The Pakistani state has continuously violated the rights of Baloch citizens, and the international community must step in to hold Pakistan accountable for these actions.”

Speakers also criticised international institutions tasked with overseeing human rights, expressing disappointment that they have failed to act against Pakistan’s actions in Balochistan. The protesters called on the United Nations, the European Union, and global human rights organisations to raise their voices against the ongoing abuses in the region and demand accountability from the Pakistani government.

“We expected this kind of behaviour from a non-democratic state like Pakistan, but what is more troubling is the inability of international bodies to take meaningful action,” said Abdul Jabar Baloch, General Secretary of BNM Germany Zone. “The silence of these organisations only exacerbates the plight of the Baloch people.”

In a chilling warning, the protesters pointed to recent comments by Pakistan’s Army Chief, General Asim Munir, who threatened to wipe out ten generations of Baloch people. The speakers emphasised that if Pakistan is not held accountable, the situation could escalate further, potentially repeating the tragic history that led genocide the people of East Pakistan which resulted to the creation of Bangladesh in 1971.

The demonstration concluded with a call to action, urging the international community not to remain passive in the face of these grave violations. “We urge democratic and freedom-loving nations to take a stand for the Baloch people,” said Banuk Shali Baloch. “Now is the time for the world to act and fulfil its moral responsibility to protect human rights.”

The protest in Hannover marks the latest chapter in a growing international movement calling for an end to the repression of the Baloch people in Pakistan and the release of detained B.Y.C. leaders.