Executive Summary: Baluchistan: Dignity, Freedom, and Justice for All
Written by ACI in 27 December 24Date: December 9, 2023
Venue: London School of Economics (LSE)
On December 9, 2023, ACI hosted a one-day seminar titled ‘Baluchistan: Dignity, Freedom, and Justice for All,’ addressing critical human rights issues and systemic injustices in the Baluchistan region. The seminar highlighted the challenges faced by the Iranian Baloch people over the past four decades, including discrimination, poverty, and violations of their religious, ethnic, and linguistic rights. Additionally, the seminar addressed the disproportionate use of the death penalty and the continued use of lethal force against unarmed civilians, raising serious concerns regarding crimes against humanity under the ICC Statute.
The event coincided with the 75th anniversary of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, marking a significant occasion to reflect on the importance of human rights and justice for vulnerable populations like the Baloch people.
Key Themes and Discussions:
- Discrimination, Poverty, and Human Rights
The seminar delved into the historical and ongoing challenges facing the Baloch people, focusing on issues such as multidimensional deprivation, ethnic and linguistic discrimination, and violations of basic human rights. Testimonies and discussions illuminated the severe socio-economic conditions in the region, including lack of access to education, employment, and healthcare. - Systematic Use of Lethal Force and the Death Penalty
One of the key topics of the seminar was the excessive use of lethal force against unarmed civilians and the high rates of executions in Baluchistan, with many participants emphasizing the human cost of these practices. Discussions explored how these acts may constitute crimes against humanity under international law, particularly in the context of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Statute. - Testimonies and Personal Accounts
Human rights defenders, activists, and experts shared powerful testimonies that highlighted the personal and collective suffering of the Baloch people. Among the poignant speakers were Fariba Baloch, a human rights defender, and Mohsen Borhanzehi, who recounted the events surrounding the Maki Mosque massacre in 2022. These first-hand accounts underscored the human toll of state-sanctioned violence and systemic injustice in the region. - International Perspectives and Legal Frameworks
Experts such as Professor Payam Akhavan, Professor of International Law and Special Adviser on Genocide, and Professor Javaid Rehman, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran, provided a legal framework for understanding the situation in Baluchistan. They analyzed how international standards and state responsibilities intersect with the ongoing violations in the region and discussed potential avenues for accountability. - The Right to Education
A significant portion of the seminar focused on the denial of education and economic opportunity for the Baloch people, particularly women and children. Speakers like Ms. Shahin Nosrati and Laebe Aram highlighted the intersectionality of cultural traditions, economic deprivation, and the lack of educational access, particularly for Baloch women. The importance of education in breaking cycles of poverty and advancing human rights was emphasized as a vital area for future advocacy. - Future Prospects for Balochistan
Panel discussions also considered potential paths forward for the region, including the role of international advocacy, legal frameworks, and grassroots efforts in addressing the systemic issues faced by the Baloch people. Activists, political analysts, and journalists underscored the need for broader international attention and intervention to ensure justice, dignity, and freedom for the people of Baluchistan.
Closing Remarks:
The seminar concluded with an emphasis on the importance of international solidarity, legal accountability, and the need for sustained efforts to address the grave human rights violations in Baluchistan. Several messages from prominent figures reinforced the critical need for a focused global response to ensure the protection of the rights of the Baloch people, particularly in terms of education, economic opportunity, and the prevention of violence.
In conclusion, the seminar served as a crucial platform for raising awareness, providing testimonies, and offering legal insights into the systemic injustices faced by the Baloch people in Baluchistan, and the need for urgent action to protect their dignity, freedom, and rights.
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Film: Panel 1 – Morning session (English)
- Opening Remarks and Welcome – Dr Hossein Ladjevardi (Persian)
- Dr Fereydoon Rahmani – Associate Professor, Programme leader – Human Rights & Equity Studies ‘Comparative look: international standards, State responsibilities and the situation in Balochistan’
- Ms Sabah Bandouie -‘Balochistan Human Rights Group’ UN representative ‘44 years of intentional systematic injustice’
- Fariba Baloch – Human Rights Defeder: ‘Testimony of a mother, a woman and a Baloch human rights defender’
- Dr Sima Sabet – Iran Expert: ‘A Strategic look to Balochistan’
Film: Panel 2 – Morning Session (English)
- Hon. Bijan R. Kian – Former senior official of the United States Government: ‘Intentional economic development deprivation of specific regions in Iran linked with international narcotics trafficking’
- Nasser Boladai – Chairperson ‘Baluchistan People’s Party’ : ‘Crimes against humanity or inconsequential killings?’
- Professor Payam Akhavan – Professor of International Law, Special Adviser on Genocide, ICC (TBC): ‘What are crimes against humanity?’
- Professor Javaid Rehman – United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran: ‘Balochistan and human rights’
Panel 2 – 14:00-18:00 (Persian)
Prospects for the future: Wider dimensions of poverty, multidimensional deprivation and discrimination based on religious, ethnic, and linguistic rights as told by activists and human rights defenders with special emphasis on the rights to education:
- Dr Fereydoon Rahmani – Associate Professor, Programme leader: Human Rights & Equity Studies, ‘Comparative look: international standards, State responsibilities and the situation in Balochistan’
- Mohsen Borhanzehi – Baloch Human Rights Defender: Testimonies from Iran: Maki Mosque 30 September 2022
- Ms Fariba Baloch – Baloch Human Rights defender: Testimony of a human rights defender
- Dr Roya Boroumand – Boroumand Foundation: Extra Judicial Killings and Executions
- Ms Fariba Borhanzehi – Baloch child rights defender: Story of two little children – Hangol and Morid
- Ms Shahin Nosrati – Writer, Women’s right defender: Women: Inequitable access to education and employment opportunities
- Laebe Aram – Writer: ‘Intersectionality of culture, tradition and economic deprivation impacting the fate of Baloch women‘
- Dr Abdolsatar Doshoki – political analyst: ‘Inequitable access to higher education’
- Rahim Bandouie – ‘Baluchistan People’s Party’: ‘Economic discrimination and intentional poverty’
- Masoud Raeisi – Journalist – ‘Poverty, multi-dimensional deprivation and prospects for the future‘
- Messages from:
- Dr Saeed Paivandi: Importance of education in building the future
- Dr Rezvan Moghadam: Stop Honour Killings!
- Shirin Razavian: A poem for Balochistan