‘Baluchistan’: Dignity, Freedom, and Justice for All

The situation of civil, political, economic, social, cultural rights of the Iranian Baloch people

9 December 2023 – London

Panel 1 – 10:00 – 13:00 (ENGLISH)
Along with the issues concerning discrimination, poverty and human rights, the question we aim to discuss further is the continuous disproportionate use of the death penalty and the systematic use of lethal force against unarmed civilian population leading to many deaths in the Baluchistan region with regard to the ICC Statute and crimes against humanity:

Nasser Boladai  – Chairperson ‘Baluchistan People’s Party’ : ‘Crimes against humanity or inconsequential killings?’

Nasser Boladai, Chairperson of the Balochistan People’s Party, delivered an impassioned address. He spoke of the fears tied to the rhetoric of ‘territorial integrity,’ stating poignantly that every time he hears those words, he “fears a bullet coming towards [his] heart.” Boladai explained that the central government’s approach to maintaining Iran’s territorial integrity relies on extrajudicial killings, violence, and oppression rather than fostering national cohesion. He described how voicing concerns about systemic issues—whether advocating for linguistic rights or highlighting economic deprivation—is consistently met with accusations of promoting separatism. “When we ask why you are killing us, they say it is because you speak of your mother tongue, which they claim leads to separatist ideals. And when we speak of economic deprivation, again, they accuse us of harbouring separatist ideals.”