Several leading international legal organizations have condemned what they describe as the “ongoing judicial harassment” of human rights lawyers Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, urging the government to drop all charges against them and warning that the case is marred by “serious irregularities” aimed at obstructing their professional work.
In an open letter on Wednesday, Lawyers for Lawyers, the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute, the Law Society of England and Wales, the International Commission of Jurists and the International Observatory of Lawyers at Risk said the criminal proceedings against the couple were intended to “obstruct their legitimate legal work” and punish them for exercising their right to freedom of expression.
The National Cybercrime Investigation Agency (NCIA) registered a case on 22 August 2025, accusing Mazari and Chattha of using social media posts to “incite linguistic divisions” and to create the impression that the Pakistani armed forces were “engaged in terrorism” inside Pakistan.
The First Information Report (FIR) cites tweets made between 2021 and 2025 in which the couple criticized the military’s role in enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings and counterterrorism operations, particularly in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The case was filed under sections of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016, exposing them to possible sentences of between three and fourteen years in prison.
After their indictment on 30 October, the trial proceeded at unusual speed. According to the organizations, proceedings have been “marred by procedural irregularities and apparent judicial bias”, including the arrest of Chattha for “non-appearance” despite evidence that he was present in court.
The groups said hearings were repeatedly scheduled on short notice, sometimes before defence counsel could be appointed, and that the court began recording evidence before formally framing charges. Applications to replace the state-appointed counsel were dismissed “without proper consideration”, they noted.
According to the defence, multiple lawyers declined to represent the couple due to threats or pressure, leaving them unable to secure counsel of their choice. These developments, the groups said, raise “serious concerns about the fairness and legitimacy of the trial” and violate international guarantees of due process and the right to legal representation.
The signatories said the case forms part of a “broader troubling trend of judicial harassment” targeting lawyers who represent victims of state violence or publicly criticize security policies.
Mazari and Chattha are currently on bail in several other cases, including terrorism-related allegations linked to peaceful protests and speeches at human rights rallies. Many of the accusations, the letter said, “appear to lack legal and factual basis” and relate directly to their protected right to free expression.
The signatories reminded Pakistan of its obligations under the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers, which require governments to ensure that lawyers can carry out their work “without intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper interference”. They also cited Pakistan’s responsibilities under its Constitution, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
The signatories urged Pakistani authorities to:
- Drop all charges against Mazari and Chattha related to their legal work and public commentary.
- End all forms of harassment and intimidation against the couple.
- Ensure that lawyers in Pakistan can work freely, without fear of reprisals or interference.
Pakistani authorities have not issued any public response to the letter.