Rights Groups Demand Immediate Release of Imaan Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali

ISLAMABAD: Over 20 international human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, have called on the Pakistani government to “immediately and unconditionally” release human rights lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, following their recent sentencing in a security breach case.

On October 29, an anti-terrorism court sentenced both Imaan and Hadi to 10 years in prison each. The court also imposed one-year sentences and fines of Rs50,000 each under Section 186 of the Pakistan Penal Code for obstructing a public servant, as well as two-year sentences under Section 353 for assaulting a public servant. This latest ruling adds to their earlier 17-year sentence on multiple charges issued by a trial court earlier this year.

The sentencing has sparked widespread condemnation from human rights advocates who argue that the charges are politically motivated and represent a misuse of the criminal justice system to silence dissent. The case has drawn attention to the broader issues of legal accountability and the protection of civil liberties in Pakistan, raising concerns about the implications for human rights in the country.

As calls for their release grow, it remains to be seen how the government will respond. Human rights groups are expected to continue their advocacy efforts, and further legal challenges may be pursued by Imaan and Hadi’s defense team in the coming weeks.