Sajid Hussain
Sajid Hussain was the editor of the Balochistan Times news website and had been a critical voice against human rights violations committed by the Pakistani state, especially the military, against the Baloch community in Pakistan. He worked as a journalist in Pakistan for several years covering issues of corruption and human rights violations. In 2012 the human rights defender was forced to leave Pakistan due to serious threats against his life. He arrived in Sweden in 2017 and was granted political asylum in 2019. Despite being forced to leave Pakistan, Sajid Hussain continued his peaceful human rights work and advocacy in exile. He started the Balochistan Times which covered the human rights context in Balochistan including abuses, detentions, and enforced disappearances by the Pakistani military in the troubled region.
Pakistan’s record of impunity has emboldened hostile actors and fostered an increasingly violent climate for HRDs, who face high risks including killing, arbitrary arrest and detention, abduction and kidnapping, surveillance, threats and judicial harassment. The government of Pakistan has made no real effort to support or protect their work and instead regularly votes against UN resolutions aimed at providing better protection for HRDs.
