Paank demands immediate release of paralysed activist Bebarg Baloch amid critical health crisis, unlawful detention

Balochistan [Pakistan], October 15 (ANI): The Baloch human rights organisation Paank has voiced grave concern over the deteriorating health and unlawful detention of Bebarg Baloch, a paralysed human rights defender and prominent member of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC).
In a statement posted on X, Paank revealed that Bebarg has been hospitalised for urgent surgery after suffering severe medical complications due to weeks of neglect in detention. The organisation has called for his immediate release, urgent medical care, and an independent investigation into the circumstances of his arrest and treatment, holding the Pakistani authorities responsible for his worsening condition.
According to Paank, Bebarg Baloch has been paralysed since 2010, after he was critically injured in a hand grenade attack allegedly carried out by Pakistani security forces during a Baloch cultural festival. Despite his permanent disability, he continued to engage in peaceful activism, advocating for the rights of the Baloch people through the BYC.
However, on March 20, 2025, he was arrested in Quetta by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) along with his brother, Hammal Zehri. The organisation stated that the arrest was made without a proper warrant or formal charges, amounting to an enforced disappearance under international law. Although Bebarg was later produced before a court, Paank emphasised that his detention remains arbitrary and unlawful.
Paank asserted that the denial of essential medical care to a disabled detainee constitutes cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment under international human rights law. The organisation referenced Section 169 of Pakistan's Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), which allows for the release of detainees whose trials are unduly delayed or unsupported by evidence.
The group further cited Articles 9 and 14 of Pakistan's Constitution, as well as Articles 6 and 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Pakistan is a State Party. These provisions obligate authorities to protect life and prevent torture or ill-treatment, including denial of medical care to detainees.
In its statement, Paank urged the Government of Pakistan and the provincial administration of Balochistan to immediately release Bebarg Baloch on humanitarian and legal grounds, ensure continuous medical supervision by qualified specialists, and allow his family, legal counsel, and independent observers to monitor his condition. The organisation also demanded a transparent investigation into the circumstances of his arrest, the denial of medical care, and any acts of torture or mistreatment committed during his detention.
Paank called on the United Nations, Amnesty International, and the international human rights community to urgently intervene and press Pakistan to uphold its obligations to protect the rights, dignity, and lives of all detainees, particularly those who are disabled and vulnerable. (ANI)