Human rights lawyer couple sentenced to 10 years in prison in Pakistan

A Pakistani anti-terrorism court has sentenced human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari and her husband Hadi Ali Chattha to 10 years in prison. According to the verdict delivered on 29 October 2026, the couple is charged with obstructing security arrangements during the England cricket team's visit in 2024. Anti-terrorism court judge Tahir Abbas Sipra pronounced the sentence.

This case relates to an incident in October 2024, when the England cricket team was visiting Pakistan. According to the prosecutor, Mazari and Chattha removed road barriers placed on the route of the security convoy designated for the visiting team in Islamabad. Furthermore, they are also accused of obstructing police officers in their duties at Islamabad's main cloverleaf road junction, 'Zero Point'. Authorities state that their actions could have endangered the security of the visiting cricket team and had the potential to incite public unrest.

The court has sentenced both to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment under Section 7(h) of the Anti-Terrorism Act. Additionally, under other provisions of the Pakistan Penal Code, they have received an additional one-year sentence for obstructing public servants and two years for using force against government employees. However, all these sentences will run concurrently. The court has also imposed a fine of 2,00,000 Pakistani rupees on both. In the verdict, the court noted that the incident endangered the security of the England cricket team and was intended to create an atmosphere of terror, although the verdict also acknowledged that the incident appeared to be a common occurrence like removing a barrier.

Mazari and Chattha have denied all these allegations. They have identified themselves as 'prisoners of conscience' and claimed that the proceedings against them are being conducted due to their human rights work. In a statement given to Dawn News, Chattha said, "I am being punished not only for supporting my wife's work and activism, but also for choosing the path of fighting against injustice as our life's journey."

The couple had previously stated that they are being presented as examples to instill fear in those who stand against atrocities, oppression, and injustice. Imaan Mazari is a well-known human rights lawyer who represents journalists, activists, and various communities facing atrocities by state agencies. She also works on issues such as the rights of religious and ethnic minorities, women's rights, and freedom of expression. Her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, is also a lawyer and human rights advocate. In the year 2026, he was awarded the 'Ludovic-Trarieux International Human Rights Prize' for his work in defending human rights and the rule of law.

In this case, Mazari presented her side, stating that when she was trying to reach court to represent her client, she was stopped by police at a roadblock. This case was registered at Islamabad's Kohsar police station in March 2025. During the trial, statements of seven prosecution witnesses were recorded, and these proceedings were conducted at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, where Mazari and Chattha were kept behind a cage-like structure during the hearings.

The couple is currently facing several legal battles with the Pakistani judiciary. In January 2026, they were sentenced to 17 years in prison under the Pakistan Electronic Crimes Prevention Act on charges of spreading anti-state ideology through social media posts. This sentence was suspended by the Supreme Court of Pakistan on 17 September, and they were granted bail. However, on the same day they were granted bail, they were re-arrested by Islamabad police in another case related to a protest in March 2025, in which they were accused of chanting "anti-government slogans" and "blocking roads". This new 10-year verdict is separate from their previous sentences.

This verdict is facing severe criticism at both international and local levels. Amnesty International's Senior Director of Regional Human Rights Impact, Yasmin Ahmed, said, "This conviction process is an indictment of the Pakistani judicial system." The organization further added that Imaan and Hadi have been targeted solely because they refuse to stop their fearless human rights work and exercise their freedom of expression. Amnesty expressed concern that the couple was denied the right to an open and fair hearing and that the trial was moved inside the jail.

Mazari's family members have also raised questions about these proceedings. Her mother, Shireen Mazari, who has been a former Human Rights Minister and served in Imran Khan's government, has termed this hearing a 'sham trial'. She alleged that the couple was not allowed to be defended by their own lawyers and were not provided with important legal documents.

Due to Mazari's professional life and her mother's political role, she has always been in conflict with the ruling institutions. Imaan Mazari has continued to speak openly about alleged atrocities committed by the country's security agencies, which has repeatedly landed her in legal trouble. Currently, the couple is imprisoned in Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, and this verdict has sparked a global debate regarding the increasing pressure on lawyers and activists in Pakistan.