Two prominent Pakistani human‑rights lawyers have been handed ten‑year prison terms after an anti‑terrorism court found them guilty of removing road barriers and obstructing police during England’s 2024 cricket tour of Pakistan. The sentencing adds to a series of legal actions that have drawn criticism from international human‑rights groups, who say the couple’s trials lack transparency and fairness.
Background of the couple
Imaan Mazari and her husband Hadi Ali Chattha have built reputations defending activists, journalists and marginalized communities facing enforced disappearances. Mazari’s mother, Shireen Mazari, served as Pakistan’s human‑rights minister under former Prime Minister Imran Khan, underscoring the family’s long‑standing involvement in the country’s civil‑society arena.
Details of the latest case
The anti‑terrorism court’s decision stems from an incident on 25 October 2024 at Zero Point, a major cloverleaf junction in Islamabad. Prosecutors allege that Mazari and Chattha removed barriers meant to protect the England cricket team’s convoy and physically obstructed police officers. Both were sentenced to ten years under the Anti‑Terrorism Act, with additional one‑year and two‑year terms for obstructing and using force against public servants, all to run concurrently.
Earlier convictions and legal twists
Prior to this case, the couple faced up to 17 years in prison for social‑media posts criticizing the military, a sentence that Pakistan’s Supreme Court suspended in August 2024. After their release was pending, police re‑arrested them, and they have remained in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail. The Supreme Court later granted bail on 17 September 2024, but the couple was detained again the same day over a separate protest case involving alleged anti‑government slogans and road blockades in March 2025.
International and domestic reaction
Amnesty International condemned the proceedings, describing the convictions as an “indictment of Pakistan’s justice system.” Senior Director Yasmine Ahmed said the couple were “being targeted solely because of their refusal to stop their fearless human‑rights work.” The organization also highlighted that the trial was moved inside the prison, where Mazari and Chattha were kept behind a cage‑like structure during hearings, raising concerns about the fairness of the process.
Implications for the rule of law and human‑rights advocacy
The sentences send a chilling signal to lawyers and activists operating in Pakistan. By framing routine protest actions—such as removing barriers or chanting slogans—as terrorism‑related offenses, authorities expand the reach of the Anti‑Terrorism Act into ordinary civic dissent. This trend threatens the ability of civil‑society actors to challenge state power without fear of severe punitive measures.
Moreover, the repeated use of bail suspensions followed by immediate re‑arrests illustrates a pattern of legal maneuvering that undermines judicial independence. When courts intervene to suspend sentences, only to have law‑enforcement agencies bypass those decisions, the balance of power tilts sharply toward the executive.
What the future may hold
Human‑rights groups are urging the international community to monitor the case closely and to pressure Pakistan to ensure open, fair trials for all defendants. Continued advocacy could pressure the government to revisit the breadth of the Anti‑Terrorism Act and to protect the professional independence of lawyers—a cornerstone of any functional legal system.
For now, Mazari and Chattha remain behind bars, their legal battles emblematic of broader struggles over freedom of expression, assembly, and the right to dissent in Pakistan. Their case underscores the precarious position of those who choose to stand against perceived tyranny, and it raises urgent questions about the future of human‑rights work in a climate of increasing legal repression.