Pakistan: Terrorism conviction of human rights lawyers an indictment of justice system

Responding to the conviction and ten-year imprisonment of Imaan Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha today by the Anti-Terrorism Court in Islamabad, Yasmine Ahmed, Senior Director for Regional Human Rights Impact at Amnesty International, said:

“These convictions are an indictment of Pakistan’s justice system. This was not just Imaan and Hadi on trial, it was a test of the judiciary’s ability to uphold the principles of justice and the right to fair trial. It has failed that test miserably. It is clear that these ‘anti-terrorism’ charges are being used to punish Imaan and Hadi for their human rights advocacy.

“Imaan and Hadi have been consistently denied the right to an open and fair trial, which they were initially barred from attending in person. The trial was later shifted inside the prison premises where they were kept behind a cage-like structure during the hearings.

these ‘anti-terrorism’ charges are being used to punish Imaan and Hadi for their human rights advocacy

Yasmine Ahmed, Senior Director for Regional Human Rights Impact

“Imaan and Hadi are being targeted solely because of their refusal to stop their fearless human rights work and for exercising their right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. The weaponization of anti-terror laws to target dissent has become a norm in Pakistan. This injustice must not continue – we urge the authorities to immediately release Imaan and Hadi and drop all charges against them.”

Background

Imaan Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha are human rights lawyers who represent activists and marginalized communities subjected to enforced disappearances, unjust charges by the state and Pakistan’s blasphemy laws. They were sentenced to ten to 17 years’ imprisonment under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) on 24 January 2026 for social media posts criticizing the military and expressing solidarity with Baloch and Pashtun activists. The Supreme Court of Pakistan suspended their sentences and granted bail on 17 September, but they were re-arrested under anti-terrorism charges on the same day before they could be released. They were accused of chanting “anti-government slogans” and allegedly “blocking roads” during a peaceful protest by Baloch activists in March 2025. Their bail applications under the protest case are still pending, however, a separate trial under the Anti-Terrorism Act was initiated for a case relating to the alleged removal of security barriers in connection to a cricket match in 2024.

Civil society, lawyers and international organizations have raised concerns regarding the independence of Pakistan’s judiciary, especially in light of the recent twenty-sixth and twenty-seventh constitutional amendments. A year ago, two supreme court justices and one high court judge resigned in protest following the twenty-seventh amendment, and yesterday, a judge of the Lahore high court resigned citing executive interference in judicial functions.

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