In May 2024, Mahrang Baloch met with Jørgen Watne Frydnes, a member of the Norwegian Nobel Committee. This meeting was facilitated by Kiyya Baloch, a close associate and supporter of banned terrorist organizations operating in Balochistan. It was through Kiyya Baloch’s efforts that this meeting was arranged, and following her lobbying, Frydnes is understood to have supported Mahrang Baloch’s nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Both Kiyya Baloch and Jørgen Watne Frydnes are affiliated with PEN Norway, a Norwegian non-governmental and nonprofit organization. Frydnes has served as General Secretary of PEN Norway since 2023, and Kiyya Baloch works under his leadership in the role of Communications Officer. It was through this organizational connection that Mahrang Baloch’s invitation to Norway was facilitated, leading directly to her engagement with Frydnes.
Serious concerns arise from Kiyya Baloch’s well-documented support for the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and its militant wing, the Majeed Brigade, which was designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) by the United States in August 2025. Kiyya Baloch has openly glorified violent attacks carried out by the BLA against civilians and civilian infrastructure—positions that stand in direct contradiction to the values represented by the Nobel Peace Prize.
The fact that a known sympathizer of a banned terrorist organization is actively lobbying for a Nobel Peace Prize nomination, while working under a current member of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, raises grave concerns about the credibility and integrity of the nomination process in this case. This situation warrants serious scrutiny, particularly in light of the apparent conflict of interest and the potential for misuse of institutional platforms like PEN Norway for political lobbying.
It is imperative that the Nobel Committee thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding this nomination to uphold the sanctity and global respect associated with the Nobel Peace Prize.
