Islamabad, November 6, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Amnesty International and 22 other international civil society organisations on Friday condemned the sentencing of Pakistani human rights lawyers Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha, describing the convictions as a significant escalation in the alleged misuse of the country’s criminal justice system.
In a joint statement, the organisations said the two lawyers had been sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment under anti-terrorism legislation and three years under the Pakistan Penal Code. They raised concerns that anti-terrorism laws were being used to intimidate lawyers engaged in legitimate human rights work.
A Pakistani anti-terrorism court on October 29 sentenced Imaan and Hadi to 10 years in prison each and imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on each of them under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.
The organisations also questioned the fairness of the trial, which was conducted inside Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi. According to reports cited in their statement, the lawyers were kept in a cage-like structure inside the courtroom, restricting their ability to communicate effectively with their legal counsel and the court.
The case was registered at Islamabad’s Aabpara Police Station over allegations that the couple threatened national security by interfering in state affairs during the visit of an international cricket team to Pakistan in October 2024.
In September, Amnesty International had condemned the re-arrest of the two lawyers just hours after the Supreme Court granted them bail, accusing the authorities of misusing the justice system to target critical voices.
The organisations said the successive legal proceedings and continued detention despite the Supreme Court’s intervention raised concerns that the case was intended to make an example of the lawyers and could discourage independent legal work and access to justice.
They called on the Pakistani government to release Imaan and Hadi immediately and unconditionally and take steps to have their convictions quashed.
The statement also expressed solidarity with the two lawyers and others in Pakistan who continue to defend human rights and the rule of law despite the risk of reprisals.
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