Herbiyar Marri detained by British authorities

Arrest in London, Dec. 4, 2007

Herbiyar Marri, 39, was detained by British authorities in an operation named Operation Super Sweep/Swift from his residence in Ealing, London at around 5am GMT. The authorities made a dawn raid with dozens of vehicles. They even confiscated phones from the children. Since his apprehension, the authorities have taken over his property, evacuated his family from the property, and the entire area has been cordoned off. According to our information, he has been transferred to Paddington Green police Station for interogation.

The home of Noordin Mengal, also located in Ealing, has also been cordoned off, but no arrests have been made because no one is available. Noordin states "I believe such acts by the west will only further isolate the Baluch and could lead to the loss of a potentially natural ally against common adverseries."

Letter to the British Ambassador in Geneva from Interfaith International

Dec. 4, 2007

Arrest of Exiled Baloch Patriot by British Authorities

Exiled Baluch Patriot Herbiyar Marri has been arrested by British authorities, his house and the entire neigbourhood in London has been cordoned off. The property is being searched and his family has been evacuated. This incident has been prompted by the Pakistani authorities to pressurise and curb Baluch human rights workers. We, the Baluch appeal to the British authorities not to become a party in the process of unjustifiable persecution and victimization of the secular Baluch diaspora.

We urge all Baluch and others to persuade the British government and other democratic foreign countries to take a stand against the injustice and victimization of the Baluch rather than obliging the corrupt Pakistani army, ISI and MI.

The Musharraf-regime has been lobbying and persuading the British government to extradite Baluch human rights workers in order to eliminate their opposition. The British must not fall into this trap by obliging Pakistan and overiding its democratic norms.

It is pertinent to mention that Herbiyar's brother, Balach Marri was targeted and killed by Pakistani armed forces in Baluchistan less than a fortnight ago. This is no co-incidence that Herbiyar Marri has been picked up by British agencies at a time when the Baluch nation is still in a state of mourning. We urge, appeal and request the British Government not to hand over Herbiyar Marri to Pakistan because Musharraf's regime had repeatedly made it very clear of what they want to do with Nawab Akbar Bugti, Herbiyar, Balach and other Baluchs who have taken a sincere stand for the rights of Baluch people.

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INTERFAITH INTERNATIONAL
c.p. 32, 1246 Corsier, Geneva, Switzerland
Tel: 0041 22 751 23 45; Fax 0041 22 751 23 48
e-mail: charlesgraves@vtx.ch;web-site: www.interfaithonline.org
Special consultative status with United Nations ECOSOC


3 December 2007

H.E. Nicholas Thorne

Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom

and Northern Ireland to the United Nations Geneva

Fax : 022 918 23 33

Your Excellency,

Our organisation is most seriously concerned about the fate of Mr. Herbiyar Marri brother of our active member Mehran Baluch. Mr. Herbiyar Marri ( who has been under threat of extradition from the United Kingdom to Pakistan), was arrested today at his London home by British authorities and his house has been cordoned off. His property has been searched and his family evacuated. We understand that Mr. Herbiyar Marri is a Pakistan national and not a British subject

This action has no doubt been provoked by the Pakistan government which has been actively harassing members of Mr. Marri's family and recently was no doubt responsable for the assassination of Mr. Herbiyar Marri's older brother Balach Marri on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border area a fortnight ago.

Earlier this year the Pakistan representatives in Geneva threatened our organisation that if we allowed Mr. Mehran Baluch (brother of Mr. Herbiyar Marri) to continue speaking of the rights of the Baluch people, Pakistan would take steps to expel our organisation from consultative status in ECOSOC. At that time I told the Pakistani auhorities that I would take a moratorium on Mr. Baluch speaking (in the name of our organisation) before the United Nations Human Rights Council for one year (to June 2008). I have kept my promise. But I made a formal complaint to the High Commissioner on Human Rights that the proof of Mr. Mehran Baluch's criminal record provided me by the Pakistani authorities was an INTERPOL paper which apparently had nothing to do with Mr. Mehran Baluch. Ms. Azma Jihangir helped me draft the letter to the High Commissioner.

Also, Pakistan is requesting the extradition of this same our member Mr. Mehran Baluch, who is a U.K. citizen and has been involved in no military or other criminal activity vis à vis Pakistan. Your authorities, Mr. Ambassador, have been up to now seemingly protecting our human rights activist Mr. Mehran Baluch and we are grateful for all the help which can be provided to him. The Marri family, as a leading Baluch family, has been under harassment for some time and such harassment seems to be increasing.

We ask Your Excellency to intervene as you believe possible to protect human rights activists such as members of the Marri-Baluch leading Pakistan family. This family holds the keys to the future of a democratic Pakistan. If the U.K. authorities bend to the request of Pakistan for the extradition of either Mr. Herbyar Marri or Mr. Mehran Baluch, this would seem to be favouring an un-democratic Pakistan.

We ask for your understanding and action to protect Baluch human rights workers and their legitimate defence of the rights of Baluch people within Pakistan.

With highest regards to Your Excellency,

Yours sincerely,
Charles Graves, D. Theol.
Secretary Genera