An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan has sentenced prominent activists Mahrang Baloch and Sibghat Ullah Shah Jee to life in prison over the killing of a paramilitary soldier during a protest in Gwadar in 2024.

The court convicted the pair on murder and terrorism charges linked to the death of Shabbir Ahmed, who prosecutors said was beaten to death by a crowd during a protest organised by the Balochistan Unity Committee.

In its ruling, the court said the two activists had been “active in the illegal gathering of the Baloch Unity Committee and had common objectives in the murder of the Federal Constabulary official”.

Baloch and Shah Jee denied the charges and boycotted the proceedings, alleging the trial was unfair.

Their lawyers said they were denied due process and adequate opportunities to challenge evidence.

The verdict drew sharp criticism from rights organisations. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan called for a review of the ruling, saying the state had “continued its policy of treating fundamental rights advocacy in the same way it treats extremism, resulting in administrative and judicial decisions that are one-sided and biased”.

Amnesty International’s acting regional director for South Asia, Isabelle Lassee, called the verdict “an affront to the right to a fair trial” and argued that it demonstrated how Pakistan’s anti-terrorism laws were being “cynically misused to silence peaceful dissent”.

“The conviction and sentence followed an expedited secret trial conducted on jail premises, during which serious concerns were raised over international fair trial standards and due process,” she said.

“No direct evidence was presented linking Mahrang and Shah Jee to the alleged violence.”

“It also comes after a prolonged period of unlawful detention. Mahrang was arrested in March 2025 following a peaceful sit-in and charged with over two dozen anti-terrorism cases filed across Pakistan,” Ms Lassee said. “These cases were so high in number that it was difficult for her lawyers to even keep track, let alone provide meaningful legal representation.”

Baloch, who gained prominence by campaigning against enforced disappearances in the restive border province of Balochistan, previously denied allegations of links to militancy.

The Balochistan Unity Committee states it advocates peacefully for an end to enforced disappearances, extrajudicial murder and economic injustice in Balochistan.

A spokesperson for the Balochistan government told the Associated Press that the prosecution was just, adding that the case was supported by “undeniable evidence” and was not politically motivated.