After three torturous months in captivity, Ehsan Ali is a free man! This is a huge victory for international solidarity, which would not have been possible without the overwhelming backing of supporters of this campaign around the world.
Since his arrest on 10 March on trumped-up terrorism charges for the ‘crime’ of attending an iftar dinner and discussing peaceful protest, Ehsan Ali has endured horrific conditions in prison. Just like during his previous arrest in 2025, the authorities pressured him to confess to all manner of scandalous lies, while threatening his relatives and fellow activists into denouncing him.
He was denied proper medical care, and a senior police officer in Gilgit-Baltistan admitted there were orders “from above” to “let him die.” But in defiance of his captors, he endured this ordeal with courage and fortitude, refusing to capitulate. He leaves jail today alive and well, ready to continue his lifelong struggle to defend the poor and exploited people of the region.
Political prisoners in Pakistan and its occupied territories usually vanish without a trace, leaving their families ignorant of their fate. But thanks to our campaign, organised across five continents, a ceaseless spotlight has been trained on the crimes of the Pakistan state.
Thousands of people have signed our petition calling for Ehsan Ali’s freedom. Supporters have protested at Pakistan’s diplomatic missions all over the world, from Montreal to Melbourne, from London to Lisbon, from Chicago to Copenhagen!
Important voices have spoken up for our campaign. The human rights organisations Amnesty International and Genocide Watch both issued statements condemning Ehsan Ali’s arrest and the persecution of the Awami Action Committee. All told, we gained the backing of almost 400 prominent figures, including politicians (like former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn), trade union leaders representing millions of workers (most recently Laura Walton, President of the Ontario Federation of Labour), as well as many activists and artists. The American musician David Rovics even wrote an original protest anthem for Ehsan Ali!
One of our key supporters, John McDonnell (former British Shadow Chancellor), attended one of our London protests in person and tabled an Early Day Motion for MPs to sign, signalling their support for our demands. We encourage readers in Britain to continue pressuring their MPs to put their name to this motion, because while we rightly celebrate this victory, our struggle is far from over.
For one thing, Ehsan Ali remains on the infamous Fourth Schedule, meaning his movements are going to be closely monitored by the police. And the ongoing repression of the Awami Action Committee Gilgit-Baltistan means that several of its leading activists have been forced to go underground to avoid arrest. We must maintain the pressure until all charges against AAC-GB members are dropped and Ehsan Ali’s name is removed from the Fourth Schedule.
Winning freedom for Ehsan Ali is a material demonstration of the power of international solidarity. We offer our sincere thanks to everybody who supported us and helped to make this victory possible.