The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) and its partner organisations on Thursday published a joint statement condemning the “arbitrary arrest” and conviction of lawyers Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chatta, and called for their release.
Imaan and Hadi were sentenced on January 24 under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act’s (Peca) sections 9 (glorification of an offence), 10 (cyberterrorism), and 26-A (false and fake information). They were handed a total of 17 years in jail, with the longest sentence being 10 years, and fined Rs36 million each collectively.
The joint statement released on Thursday — signed by the Balochistan Bar Council, the Hyderabad Bar Association, the Karachi Bar Association, the Sindh High Court Bar Association and other global bodies — condemned the “arbitrary arrest and subsequent conviction” of Imaan and Hadi, calling for their immediate release and measures to ensure the conviction was set aside.
“Both lawyers have faced targeted reprisals, including harassment through judicial processes, for their human rights and legal work, as well as for their outspoken advocacy for accountability and the rule of law,” it said.
The statement noted that the couple were arrested while on their way for a hearing in the controversial social media posts case and police used “undue force and failed to produce either an arrest warrant or a first information report (FIR)”.
“The arrest occurred despite an order of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) dated January 21, 2026, granting them temporary relief from arrest, reinstating bail, and guaranteeing the right to a complete defence, including cross-examination,” the statement read.
It noted that after the IHC issued its order, the police invoked “dormant and backdated” FIRs against Imaan and Hadi. It also noted that the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) was “a law widely misused to suppress online expression in Pakistan” and raised concern about due process and the trial’s fairness.
“The sentencing abruptly concluded proceedings that had been marred by due process violations,” the statement said. “Although a transfer application pending before the IHC legally deprived the sessions court of jurisdiction, it nevertheless proceeded to pass judgment.”
It added that the couple was convicted after a one-minute court appearance, adding that Imaan had stated the couple would be boycotting the trial and also alleged “being subjected to torture and citing denial of food and water in detention”.
“They were refused the opportunity to complete cross-examination of prosecution witnesses and had no access to legal counsel while in custody, raising serious concerns about their fair trial rights and physical well-being,” it said.
The statement further said that Imaan and Hadi’s case was “emblematic of a broader trend of judicial persecution” to exhaust lawyers’ resources and obstruct them from carrying out their work.
“The couple have faced multiple parallel criminal proceedings under anti-terrorism and blasphemy laws, repeated cancellations of bail, and the continued threat of arrest, all compounded by persistent concerns regarding due process violations,” it said.
“Repeated summonses in cases on baseless allegations have severely disrupted their legal practice and violated their human rights, forcing them to appear before multiple courts across the country, reportedly with the intent of diverting their attention from defending vulnerable clients,” the statement added.
Moreover, it argued that Peca’s use in the case showed how “authorities are weaponising the justice system to punish dissent and target legitimate human rights work”.
The statement called on Pakistan to “respect and uphold its obligations under international law, particularly the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment”.
“Lawyers should be able to perform their professional functions without intimidation, hindrance, harassment, or improper interference, and should not be prosecuted for actions taken in accordance with their professional duties or for the legitimate exercise of freedom of expression.”
The signatories demanded Imaan and Hadi’s unconditional release and measures to set aside the conviction; their safety while in detention and a guarantee of food, water and medical care; an inquiry into the police’s use of force; an end to the misuse of Peca and the anti-terrorism act against lawyers and human rights defenders and the assuarance that they can carry out their work “without fear of reprisals, harassment, or undue interference”.
Separately, the United Nations Human Rights Office said that the conviction and sentencing of the couple “following fair trial concerns is deeply disturbing”.
“This case highlights the danger of this law being used to suppress dissent. We urge the government to protect and uphold freedom of expression & the right to peaceful assembly in line with Pakistan’s international human rights obligations,” it said.
American Dollar Exchange Rate