Islamabad: Several leading human rights organisations as well as activists have condemned the 10-year prison sentences handed down to Pakistani human rights lawyers Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, in connection with a security breach case.
The National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) voiced concerns over the sentencing of Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha to 10 years’ imprisonment and said the severity of the sentences raises concerns about proportionality and the protection of fundamental rights.
“NCHR has serious concerns on further sentencing of lawyers Imaan and Hadi to 10 yrs imprisonment. Right to fair trial, due process & effective judicial remedies must be fully protected. Severity of sentences raises concerns about proportionality & protection of fundamental rights,” NCHR posted on X.
Human Rights Council of Pakistan Chairman, Jamshid Hussain has voiced “deep concern” over the 10-year prison sentences handed down to Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha in a case related to removing security barriers and interfering in state affairs.
“Jamshid Hussain stated that in any case, the punishment must be proportionate to the nature of the offense, with transparent judicial proceedings and an opportunity for effective defence—these are fundamental requirements of justice. The application of anti-terrorism clauses and the imposition of lengthy prison terms in incidents of this nature raise questions that demand serious judicial review,” the Human Rights Council of Pakistan posted on X.
“He said that the objections raised by Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha regarding fair hearing and their right to defence should be transparently reviewed. It is the state’s responsibility to provide an environment where lawyers representing victims of human rights violations can fearlessly perform their professional duties,” it added.
It demanded that the appeal against the verdict be heard immediately, requests for suspension of sentence and bail be decided expeditiously in accordance with the law, and both lawyers be guaranteed legal consultation, meetings with family members, and treatment in accordance with human dignity. It called for the enforcement of the law to be conducted in accordance with the principles of fundamental rights, transparency, and proportionality.
Baloch activist Sammi Deen Baloch condemned the sentencing of Imaan Mazari and her husband, describing it as “sham case” and said that such these verdicts expose the “disturbing state of justice in Pakistan.”
In a post on X, Baloch stated, “I strongly condemn the sentencing of Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha in a sham case. Crushing dissent and activists is neither democratic nor justifiable. Imaan has always stood with the oppressed communities of the country and raised her voice for needy people.”
“Such verdicts expose the disturbing state of justice in Pakistan, where those who stand up for the vulnerable are punished instead of protected. Every such judgment further erodes public faith in the judiciary and reinforces a painful reality that justice is becoming a distant promise in Pakistan. The state and judiciary should build the trust of masses with providing justice,” she added.
In the statement posted on X, Defence of Human Rights Pakistan condemned the continued judicial harassment and reprisals against human rights lawyers Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha.
Lawyer Mirza Shahzad Akbar condemned the sentencing, calling it a “wrongful conviction in a sham trial before a sham court.”
In a post on X, Akbar stated, “Following Imaan and Hadi’s wrongful convictions today, in yet another sham trial before a sham court, let’s see how many of Pakistan’s senior and leading anchors/journalists dare to speak up, Tweet, or dedicate a show to critically examining what this case is really about. What is their real crime? What are they actually being punished for? And who is really behind all this?”
“I am sure many of us will one day deliver eloquent lectures about these dark times, telling how outraged, saddened and disturbed they were by it all. But what matters is not what we say when these dark times are over. What matters is what we choose to say and do TODAY, when speaking out actually counts,” he added.
(IANS)
