A Pakistani court has sentenced prominent human rights lawyers Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, to 10 years in prison under anti-terrorism laws, triggering criticism from international human rights organisations.
The couple were convicted over allegations that they removed security barricades during the England cricket team’s visit to Islamabad. Delivering the verdict on Thursday, Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra said their actions demonstrated an intention to create fear and put the visiting team’s security at risk.
“To put the security of (the) team at risk clearly shows the intentions and objective of the accused to create a sense of terror,” the judge stated, according to a copy of the ruling obtained by news agency AFP.
Both lawyers rejected the allegations, describing the proceedings as politically motivated and linked to their professional work defending human rights.
They maintained that they were “being made an example to further cement the chilling effect against those who stand (or want to stand) against tyranny, oppression and injustice”, according to the court document.
Imaan Mazari and Hadi Chattha’s Previous Arrests and Convictions
Mazari-Hazir and Chattha were initially detained in October 2024 following allegations that they had removed police barricades during the England cricket team’s visit to Pakistan’s capital. They were subsequently released.
However, authorities arrested the couple again in January 2026. In a separate case relating to their social media activity, both were sentenced to 17 years in prison.
Pakistan’s Supreme Court suspended those convictions in September. However, police took the couple back into custody just hours after the decision, citing separate charges.
Their latest detention has renewed concerns over the treatment of human rights defenders and legal professionals in Pakistan.
Human Rights Organisations Condemn the Sentences
The latest developments have drawn strong criticism from international human rights organisations, which have called on Pakistani authorities to release the two lawyers.
Human Rights Watch, the New York-based rights organisation, urged the Pakistani government to “stop using criminal prosecutions to punish lawyers engaged in peaceful dissent” and demanded the immediate release of Mazari-Hazir and Chattha.
Amnesty International also condemned the arrests, describing the development as a “terrible injustice”.
The organisation further criticised the allegations against the couple, saying they were “not only absurd but an insult to their lifelong commitment to human rights”.
The case has once again raised concerns about freedom of expression, the independence of legal professionals and the use of anti-terrorism legislation against individuals engaged in peaceful dissent in Pakistan.
