Sammi Deen Baloch re-arrested by Karachi Police
On 25 March 2025, Karachi police re-arrested Sammi Deen Baloch. The woman human rights defender was initially arrested during a peaceful demonstration in Karachi on 24 March 2025, and was released by a court order on 25 March 2025.
Sammi Deen Baloch is a prominent woman human rights defender who is a vocal advocate for the rights of Baloch people and has spoken fearlessly against violations in Balochistan, including enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, and custodial torture. Sammi Deen Baloch was the Front Line Defenders Award winner for Human Rights Defenders at Risk for 2024 in recognition of her commitment to human rights. She has worked in an extremely hostile context in Balochistan, despite significant personal risk and threats against her family, to highlight ongoing violations and render relief and redress to victims and their families.
On 25 March 2025, Karachi police re-arrested Sammi Deen Baloch. The woman human rights defender was initially arrested during a peaceful demonstration in Karachi on 24 March 2025, and was released by a court order on 25 March 2025.
Sammi Deen Baloch is a prominent woman human rights defender who is a vocal advocate for the rights of Baloch people and has spoken fearlessly against violations in Balochistan, including enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, and custodial torture. Sammi Deen Baloch was the Front Line Defenders Award winner for Human Rights Defenders at Risk for 2024 in recognition of her commitment to human rights. She has worked in an extremely hostile context in Balochistan, despite significant personal risk and threats against her family, to highlight ongoing violations and render relief and redress to victims and their families.
On 25 March 2025, Karachi police re-arrested Sammi Deen Baloch following her initial arrest on 24 March 2025. Despite the Court ordering her release, the Karachi police blocked Sammi Deen Baloch from leaving the Court premises and subsequently arrested her under the regressive Sindh Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, 1960 (MPO) which severely restricts access to bail. She has been remanded under the MPO for 30 days and is currently being held in Karachi Central Jail. Front Line Defenders is also concerned about the treatment she is facing in prison, especially the denial of access to legal counsel, and the severe restrictions of family visits for her mother and sister.
Front Line Defenders reiterates the important role of human rights defenders in Pakistan, especially those from traditionally oppressed communities who speak out against violations in highly militarised and hostile contexts. The continuous targeting of Sammi Deen Baloch is a clear act of reprisal for her human rights work and peaceful campaigns denouncing the systemic violations against the Baloch community in Pakistan. The authorities in Pakistan have escalated the arrests and targeting of Baloch human rights defenders following the militant attack on a passenger train on 11 March. Front Line Defenders calls on the authorities in Pakistan to immediately end the harassment and reprisals against Baloch human rights defenders, immediately release Sammi Deen Baloch and other human rights defenders arbitrarily detained as a reprisal for their work, and ensure their safety in detention. Pending her release, the organisation calls on jail authorities to grant Sammi Deen Baloch immediate access to legal counsel and to her family without further harassment.
On 24 March 2025, at around 5:30 PM, Sammi Deen Baloch was forcibly arrested by the Karachi Police during a peaceful protest against the ongoing violations and arrests of Baloch human rights defenders. At the time of writing, there is reliable information that the woman human rights defender has been detained at the Women Police station in Shahrah e Faisal, Karachi.
Sammi Deen Baloch is a prominent woman human rights defender who is a vocal advocate for the rights of Baloch people and has spoken fearlessly against violations in Balochistan, including enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, and custodial torture. Sammi Deen Baloch was the Front Line Defenders Award winner for Human Rights Defenders at Risk for 2024 in recognition of her commitment to human rights. She has worked in an extremely hostile context in Balochistan, despite significant personal risk and threats against her family, to highlight ongoing violations and render relief and redress to victims and their families.
On 24 March 2025, at around 5:30 PM, Sammi Deen Baloch and several other human rights defenders were arrested by the Karachi police. She was arrested during a peaceful demonstration at the Karachi Press Club against the ongoing targeting of the Baloch HRDs by the Pakistani state. Video footage of the incident shows law enforcement officials employing excessive force against the woman human rights defender, aggressively pulling her out of a crowd and forcing her into the rear of a vehicle. Over the past several days, Pakistan authorities have repeatedly targeted Baloch human rights defenders and arrested members of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), including human rights defenders Dr. Mahrang Baloch and Bebarg Zehri. Police have used excessive force against peaceful protestors, firing live bullets and tear-gas, as well as arresting a large number of protestors on the 21st and 22nd March 2025. At the time of writing, Sammi Deen Baloch has reportedly been detained at the Women Police station in Shahrah e Faisal, Karachi. The excessive force employed during her arrest, as well as the current pattern of targeting Baloch human rights defenders, raises serious concerns regarding her physical and mental safety.
Sammi Deen Baloch has been targeted previously due to her human rights work. She has faced serious reprisals linked to her involvement in the Baloch Long March in December 2023 and the Baloch National Gathering in July 2024, and was arbitrarily prevented from traveling outside Pakistan in August 2024. This arrest on 24th March 2025 is a direct reprisal against her exercise of freedom of expression and the right to peaceful protest.
Front Line Defenders is extremely concerned for the safety and well-being of Sammi Deen Baloch and other human rights defenders who have been arrested due to their peaceful protest for rights and redress in Balochistan. The organisation believes that these reprisals are motivated as punishment for her human rights work.
Front Line Defenders calls on the Pakistani authorities to:
1. Initiate an impartial and effective inquiry into the use of excessive force against peaceful protesters, including human rights defenders, with the aim of publishing the findings and bringing those responsible to justice in accordance with international standards;
2. Immediately release Sammi Deen Baloch and other human rights defenders who have been arrested and dismiss all charges against them;
3. Immediately provide Sammi Deen Baloch access to her lawyer and family members;
4. Ensure that human rights defenders in Pakistan are protected from reprisals and end the ongoing persecution and punishment of Baloch human rights defenders in the State, including for exercising their right to free expression and peaceful dissent.
