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by IANS |
Islamabad, Feb 11 (IANS) The sentencing of human rights attorney couple Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha in Pakistan has sparked condemnation from the United Nations, international legal bodies, and the country's rights groups, according to a report.
"The critics warn that the case represents a dangerous escalation in the suppression of dissent and legal advocacy in Pakistan. The couple were sentenced in January 2026 by a sessions court in Islamabad under Pakistan’s Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) for social media posts critical of state institutions," a report in Christian Daily International.
"Rights groups and legal observers have described the convictions as politically motivated and the trial as deeply flawed, raising alarm over shrinking civic space and judicial independence in the country," it added.
Both of them received multiple concurrent sentences of imprisonment totalling 17 years. The court has also ordered them to pay a fine of 36 million Pakistani rupees ($128,830) each.
The UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) stated that it was "deeply disturbed" by the sentencing of Mazari and Chattha and that criminal sanctions for peaceful expression are incompatible with Pakistan’s obligations as per international human rights law. The UN warned that Pakistan is using cybercrime laws to silence dissent and intimidate lawyers.
The European Union also voiced similar concerns, stressing that the conviction of Mazari and Chattha undermines freedom of expression and the independence of the legal profession, principles important for the rule of law. EU officials called on Pakistan to ensure fair trial standards and protect lawyers from retaliation for their professional work.
Amnesty International demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Mazari and Chattha, terming their arrest "arbitrary" and part of a broader pattern of harassment of human rights activists, according to the report in Christian Daily International.
A coalition of international legal organisations, including the International Commission of Jurists, Lawyers for Lawyers, and the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute, in a joint statement, condemned the sentencing of the couple and warned that prosecuting lawyers for online speech sets a “chilling precedent” for the whole legal community.
The sentencing of Mazari and Chattha has sparked protests in Pakistan. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) described the sentencing of the couple as symptomatic of a rapidly worsening environment for activists and lawyers who fight sensitive cases that involve state power, religion, or national security.
According to the report, Mazari and Chattha, in several high-profile blasphemy cases, went beyond regular defence work. They publicly and in court exposed what they termed as an organised "blasphemy business group" allegedly making false blasphemy accusations for monetary gain, property seizure, or personal vengeance. Court records and legal submissions in cases handled by them showcased recurring patterns, including coordinated complainants, coerced confessions, and monetary demands related to accusations.
The Christian Daily International report stated: "Christian and other human rights advocates say that challenging these networks is exceptionally dangerous in Pakistan, where allegations of blasphemy have led to mob violence, assassinations and long prison sentences. By confronting what they argued was a systematic abuse of the blasphemy laws, Mazari and Chattha exposed themselves to severe personal, professional, and security risks, according to fellow lawyers and rights groups."
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