Pakistani Human Rights Lawyers Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison

An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan has sentenced prominent human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari-Hazir and her husband, attorney Hadi Ali Chattha, to 10 years in prison. The ruling was delivered following proceedings conducted inside the high-security Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi. The court also imposed financial penalties on both defendants alongside concurrent prison terms.

The convictions stem from an October 2024 confrontation in Islamabad involving security cordons established for England's touring men's cricket team. Authorities accused the couple of removing traffic barriers, obstructing government officials from performing their duties, and inciting public unrest. Prosecutors charged them under Section 7(h) of the Anti-Terrorism Act as well as multiple provisions of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra presided over the trial and handed down the sentences, which include concurrent terms of one and two years for penal code violations alongside the primary 10-year anti-terrorism penalty. Under Pakistani legal procedure, concurrent sentencing means the couple will effectively serve a maximum term of ten years. Defense representatives noted that the trial was conducted swiftly within the confines of the detention facility.

Mazari and Chattha maintained their innocence throughout the proceedings, arguing that the charges were fabricated to suppress their legal advocacy. The couple stated that their confrontation with traffic authorities arose from routine movement restrictions rather than any intent to disrupt official security or incite violence. Their legal counsel characterized the proceedings as deeply flawed and disproportionate to the alleged actions.

Mazari, the daughter of former human rights minister Shireen Mazari, has established herself as one of Pakistan's most outspoken legal advocates. Over recent years, she has represented families of victims of enforced disappearances, political detainees, and members of marginalized communities. Her visible role in high-profile constitutional cases and civil liberties demonstrations has frequently placed her under intense scrutiny from state security apparatuses.

Chattha, also a practicing lawyer before Pakistan's superior courts, has worked alongside Mazari on numerous sensitive legal petitions. His work has focused primarily on fundamental rights litigation, the protection of vulnerable minorities, and advocacy for procedural safeguards in state custody. The couple's joint legal practice had increasingly drawn official attention as they challenged military courts and arbitrary detentions.

Civil liberties monitoring groups and independent bar associations quickly voiced alarm over the court's decision, describing it as part of a broader clampdown on legal practitioners. Rights defenders noted that the application of anti-terrorism statutes to traffic altercations sets a concerning precedent for judicial independence in Pakistan. Several international observer organizations highlighted the shrinking space for lawful dissent and the legal defense of political activists.

The conviction marks the latest in a series of arrests and investigations targeting Mazari over the past two years. She has previously faced detention under public order ordinances and sedition statutes following public speeches addressing state policy. While earlier charges were often dismissed or resolved through bail in superior courts, the anti-terrorism conviction represents the most severe judicial measure taken against her to date.

Defense attorneys announced plans to immediately file an appeal against the anti-terrorism court's verdict before the Islamabad High Court. The appellate petition will seek the suspension of the prison sentences and challenge the jurisdictional validity of trying the barrier dispute under anti-terrorism laws. Observers expect the appeals process to become a major test for Pakistan's higher judiciary amid growing international scrutiny of civil liberties in the country.