Green Party Motion Calls for Support for Baloch Human Rights Struggle at Autumn Conference 2026

A motion titled “Solidarity with the Baloch Human Rights Struggle” has been proposed for the Green Party of England & Wales Autumn Conference 2026 by Natalie Kopytko, calling on the party to support the Baloch people’s struggle for human rights, democracy and self-determination.

The motion states that the Green Party should support the struggle of the Baloch people, whose historic homeland is divided between Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan, and says that most of the homeland is occupied by Pakistan and Iran, with the complicity of various bigger imperialist powers.

The proposed policy notes that on 22 June 2026, a Pakistani anti-terrorism court sentenced leading Baloch human rights activists Mahrang Baloch and Sibghatullah Shahji to life imprisonment, effectively for taking part in a demonstration. It cites Amnesty International’s criticism of the verdict, describing it as “an affront to the right to a fair trial” and stating that Pakistan’s anti-terrorism laws are being “cynically misused to silence peaceful dissent”. The motion also notes Amnesty’s position that both activists are being targeted solely for their human rights work and should be immediately released, with all charges related to their activism dropped.

The motion describes the two activists as leading members of the Baloch Yakjehti (Solidarity) Committee, which Amnesty International describes as “a peaceful civil rights movement in Pakistan advocating for an end to enforced disappearances, extrajudicial murder and economic injustice in Balochistan province.”

It further states that the repression of activists comes amid worsening human rights abuses by the Pakistani authorities in Balochistan and growing public protest against those abuses.

The motion also outlines the historical background, stating that after the British Empire took control of the Baloch homeland, part was handed to Iran while the remainder became independent shortly before Pakistan but was effectively occupied by Pakistan less than a year later, where it has since faced repressive rule. It further states that Baloch people also face severe human rights abuses and political repression in Iran.

According to the proposed motion, Pakistani-occupied Balochistan is vast and rich in natural resources, yet its people remain poor. It argues that Pakistan and its imperial allies, including the UK, the US and China, have sought to exploit the region’s natural wealth at the expense of its people, linking this to ongoing human rights abuses and repression.

The motion calls on the UK Government to move away from what it describes as a policy of turning a blind eye and instead publicly condemn Pakistan’s human rights abuses in Balochistan, demand the release of Mahrang Baloch, Sibghatullah Shahji and other detained Baloch human rights activists, and review its aid and relations with Pakistan with the aim of promoting rather than undermining human rights.

It also instructs the Green Party Executive (GPEx), the International Committee, the Green Party Council (GPC) and the Campaigns Committee to coordinate advocacy and campaigning on this basis while building links with Baloch human rights activists.

The Green Party of England and Wales, which has more than 230,000 members, will consider the proposed motion at its Autumn Conference 2026. The next stage of the process is for the motion to secure the support of 11 Green Party members to co-propose it before it can be debated at the conference.

Baloch political and human rights activist Aomar Karim thanked Green Party activist Natalie Kopytko for raising the issue through the party’s proposed motion. He said he hopes the Green Party will provide a space for the voiceless Baloch people and expressed hope that the next stage of the proposal will secure the support of 11 Green Party members to co-propose the motion ahead of the party’s Autumn Conference.