Islamabad (AsiaNews) - Pakistani human rights lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband, fellow lawyer Hadi Ali Chattha, recipients of the prestigious 2026 Ludovic Trarieux International Human Rights Prize, have each been sentenced to 10 years in prison by an anti-terrorism court (ATC), prompting renewed concerns about judicial independence, fair trial guarantees and the protection of human rights defenders in Pakistan.
The verdict was announced yesterday by ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, where the couple's trial was conducted. They were convicted in a 2024 security breach case involving allegations that they had removed road barriers along a designated security route during the visit of an international cricket team to Pakistan and obstructed police officials.
According to the ruling, both lawyers received 10-year sentences under Section 7(h) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, along with additional one-year and two-year sentences under Sections 186 and 353 of the Pakistan Penal Code for obstructing and using criminal force against public servants. The sentences will run concurrently. The court also imposed financial penalties and acquitted them of several other charges.
Convicted lawyers say they are “prisoners of conscience"
The couple denied the allegations and maintained that the proceedings were retaliation for their legal work defending marginalised communities, victims of enforced disappearances, journalists, and political activists.
In their statements before the court, they described themselves as "prisoners of conscience", alleging that their constitutional rights to a fair trial, due process, and human dignity had been violated.
They particularly questioned the decision to conduct the proceedings inside the prison, claiming that being placed behind a cage during hearings prevented effective communication with their lawyers and the court. The defence also challenged the jail trial before the Islamabad High Court and Supreme Court.
Concern among human rights groups
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has previously expressed serious concern over what it described as the continued harassment of Mazari and Chattha, including the registration of another allegedly fabricated First Information Report against them. The commission's concerns reflect wider questions about the use of criminal proceedings against lawyers engaged in human rights advocacy.
International organisations have also criticised the latest developments. Amnesty International, responding to Thursday's conviction, described the verdict as an indictment of Pakistan's justice system and raised concerns about the couple's right to an open and fair trial.
Yasmine Ahmed, Amnesty International's Senior Director for Regional Human Rights Impact, said that the anti-terrorism provisions were being used to punish the lawyers for their human rights advocacy. The organisation called for their immediate release and the dropping of charges.
The International Commission of Jurists and other international legal organisations have also repeatedly raised concerns about alleged judicial harassment, procedural irregularities and restrictions on the couple's ability to defend themselves.
The conviction comes after an earlier sentence of 17 years each in January 2026 in a separate case concerning alleged anti-state social media posts. On 17 September, the Supreme Court suspended those sentences and ordered their release pending the outcome of their appeals. However, Islamabad police arrested them again within hours in connection with the security breach case.
The family has announced its intention to challenge the latest verdict before the Supreme Court. The defence had also requested postponement of the judgment, arguing that important applications concerning the legality of the proceedings remained pending before the superior courts.
International recognition for human rights advocacy
In June 2026, Imaan and Hadi received the Ludovic Trarieux International Human Rights Prize, one of the world's oldest international human rights awards for lawyers. Established in 1984, the distinction was first awarded to Nelson Mandela in 1985 while he was imprisoned under South Africa's apartheid regime.
The 2026 jury recognised the couple's professional commitment to defending fundamental freedoms, the rule of law and access to justice. Hadi has represented people accused of blasphemy, victims of sexual violence, enforced disappearances, and prisoners facing the death penalty. Imaan has provided legal assistance to victims of violence and persecution, particularly members of vulnerable religious and ethnic communities.
Their international recognition has brought renewed attention to the challenges faced by human rights defenders in Pakistan, where lawyers representing religious minorities, journalists and victims of alleged state abuses frequently encounter threats, intimidation and legal pressure.
For Pakistan's human rights community, the latest conviction raises fundamental questions about the protection of lawyers, freedom of expression, and the independence of the judiciary. It also highlights the importance of ensuring that anti-terrorism legislation is applied in accordance with constitutional guarantees and international human rights obligations.
The case now moves towards the higher judiciary, where the couple's family hopes to challenge the convictions and seek justice.
