Mar 19, 2015

Movie Screening and Expert Discussion: The Line of Freedom


On the occasion of the 28th Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council, the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) and the Nonviolent Radical Party (PRNTT) will present the short movie ‘The Line of Freedom. The film screening will be followed by an expert discussion on enforced disappearances, aimed at analysing this core human rights abuse and offering a stimulating debate with the audience. 

 

Thursday 19th March, 17:00 – 18:00 at the Palais des Nations, Room XXVII, Geneva.

Directed by David Whitney ‘The Line of Freedom’ is a short film that sheds light upon the horrendous practice of enforced disappearances and killings of ethnic Baloch, which continue to take place in Balochistan. The storyline is symbolic of the fate of thousands of Baloch over the past years.

Background information:

Balochistan, which covers part of Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan, receives very little international attention and is often overlooked in political analyses of the region. At the same time, the human rights situation in Balochistan is drastically deteriorating, with the region’s respective governments failing at their most basic duty — to protect the safety of their citizens and enforce rule of law. 

In Iran, a state driven systematic assimilation policy threatens the continuation of the Baloch identity, and the increased number of executions since President Rouhani’s tenure has disproportionally affected Baloch prisoners. At the same time, since 2003, thousands of ethnic Baloch have been abducted by the Pakistani military in Balochistan, the majority being students, human rights activists, doctors, journalists, teachers, musicians and lawyers. Today more than 10 000 are still missing.

 

Expert Discussion:

Moderator:

Susann Nowack, UNPO

Experts:

Nasser Boladai, Spokesperson of Balochistan Peoples Party, Sweden 

Wendy Johnson, Writer and Publisher, Crisis Balochistan, USA 

Tony Hasnath, Actor in the movie 'The Line of Freedom', United Kingdom

 

Registrations are now closed. (registration deadline: 10th March 2015)

Join also our conference “Buried Human Rights, Global Geopolitics and Regional Repercussions: Balochistan in the Shadows” in room XXI, Palais des Nations, Geneva, on Friday 20 March 2015 from 15h00 to 17h00.