Amnesty International has called on Pakistani authorities to immediately stop the judicial harassment of lawyers and human rights defenders Iman Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha, following the cancellation of their bail and a court order for their immediate arrest over alleged “anti-state” social media posts.
Babu Ram Pant, Deputy Regional Director for South Asia at Amnesty International, described the case as “baseless” and a “blatant abuse of the justice system.” He said the charges are politically motivated and aimed at silencing dissent and intimidating those who defend human rights.
“The ‘cyber terrorism’ and other charges under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act against Iman and Hadi amount to criminalizing the peaceful exercise of the right to freedom of expression,” Pant said. “The rushed trial has been riddled with violations of the right to a fair trial, including denying the accused the right to attend proceedings and challenge evidence.”
Amnesty International emphasized that Iman Mazari and Hadi Chattha have been targeted solely for carrying out their professional duties and advocating for human rights. Pant urged the authorities to drop all charges, rescind the arrest orders, and ensure that human rights defenders can carry out their work without fear of reprisals.
“The Pakistani authorities must uphold the rule of law and protect lawyers and human rights defenders instead of using the justice system as a tool of intimidation,” Pant added.
