When Mahrang Baloch accepted an invitation to attend an event in New York City this week in honor of her and 99 others recognized on this year’s TIME100 Next list, she anticipated that she might face some obstacles at the airport.

Human rights advocates including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai criticised Pakistan on Wednesday for stopping a leading ethnic minority activist from travelling to accept a US award. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said blocking Baloch's travel was "a flagrant violation of her right to freedom of movement and expression".

Prominent Baloch activist Mahrang Baloch has brought to light a disturbing incident of state-sponsored harassment and human rights abuses in Pakistan, which further underscores state’s systematic oppression of the Baloch people,