7 months ago
Pakistan Jails Lawyers 17 Years
In Pakistan, two human rights lawyers, Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband Hadi Ali Chattha, were sentenced to 17 years in prison.
This happened because the government said they made social media posts that were against the state.
They were arrested on January 23, 2025, while going to court.
The case started when someone complained in August 2025.
The lawyers said the posts were not against the state, but the court decided they were.
Many people, including international rights groups, are upset and say the sentence is unfair.
The lawyers' family and friends also said the ruling was wrong.
Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha were sentenced to 17 years in prison for social media posts deemed hostile to the state.
They were arrested on January 23, 2025, while on their way to court for a hearing related to the case.
The case was filed on August 12, 2025, alleging the couple used social media to malign the state and its security institutions.
The court found that Mazari's tweets portrayed the agenda of outlawed Baloch separatist groups and the Pakistani Taliban.
International and domestic rights groups condemned the arrests and sentences, calling for their immediate release.
- Who
- Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha
- What
- Sentenced to 17 years in prison for social media posts
- Where
- Islamabad, Pakistan
- When
- January 24, 2025 (verdict), January 23, 2025 (arrest)
- Why
- Allegations of propagating hostile narratives and maligning the state
Key facts
- Arrested Individuals
- Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha
- Arrest Location
- Islamabad
- Arrest Date
- January 23, 2025
- Sentence
- 17 years in prison each
- Case Details
- Social media posts deemed hostile to the state
- Allegations
- Propagating narratives aligning with hostile groups
- Complaint Filed
- August 12, 2025
- Indictment Date
- October 2024
- International Response
- Condemnation by Amnesty International and other rights groups
Quotes
Zainab Mazari
Human rights lawyer and daughter of former Pakistani human rights minister Shireen Mazari
“totally illegal”
livemint.com
