Norwegian investigating Baloch disappearances in Pakistan brutally tortured
May 17, 2022
Islamabad [Pakistan], May 17 : A Norwegian national and Human Rights Activist Ehsan Arjemandi, who went to Pakistan to investigate a large number of enforced disappearances of Baloch people was arbitrarily detained and brutally tortured.
In his personal account of the incident, Arjemandi said, "when I reached Balochistan on July 31, 2009, Pakistan had imposed movement restrictions in Balochistan, because of that I could not do my job," as per Global Media.
He said that on August 6 he boarded a bus in Mand to Karachi and on August 7 early morning between Balochistan and Sindh he was pulled down by Pakistani security forces. He later discovered that they were ISI personnel.
Sharing the details of the horrific treatment given to him, Arjemandi said, "I was tortured for above 5 months. I was beaten and hanged upside down and at the same time they put my head in a bucket of water."
"I was denied rest, sleep, water, they pulled out my toenails, they put chilli powder, as well petrol on me. I was kept isolated all the time," he added, as per the media portal.
In a shocking revelation, he stated, "They held me for 12 years. I was never charged with anything. I was never presented to any court. On August 24-25, 2021 they released me and they forced me to sign a document where it was written that I will never talk about what I have been through."
He added that after he was released he could not leave Pakistan because he had overstayed his visa.
Today there are thousands of Baloch people who are victims of enforced disappearances by Pakistani Forces in Balochistan including women and children. Harassment, killing, enforced disappearance, and torture by Pakistan security forces have put Baloch people in such a situation that even educated women are resorting to a unique form of protest including suicide bombings.
