Lawyers, activists react to Imaan, Hadi’s verdict

Political parties, parliamentarians and members of the legal community on Saturday condemned the verdict and sentencing of human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari and her husband, lawyer Hadi Ali Chattha, describing the verdict as “unfair” and a “serious miscarriage of justice”.

A district and sessions court in Islamabad on Saturday convicted the two in a case related to controversial social media posts and sentenced them to 17 years in prison.

The case concerns alleged posts and reposts on X, formerly Twitter, which the authorities described as “anti-state”. The National Cyber ​​Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) registered the case last August under the Prevention of Electronic Crime Act (Peca) 2016, claiming the content was intended to incite divisions and portray government institutions negatively.

The pair were arrested on Friday in Islamabad while they were reportedly on their way to the district courts, and the court announced its verdict today.

‘Unfair and opaque trial’

The Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Ayeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP) condemned what it described as an “unfair and opaque trial” and said the verdict violated “the fundamental principles of judicial independence”.

In a statement, the opposition coalition said the decision reflected “an atmosphere of fear and pressure within the judiciary where political goals were prioritized over the delivery of justice”.

It called the verdict “a blemish on democracy and justice” and demanded the immediate release of both men.

‘Complete moral and institutional collapse’

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf raised concerns over the alleged ill-treatment of the couple, describing it as “outrageous”.

It criticized the authorities for what it called a “complete moral and institutional breakdown”.

‘Serious miscarriage of justice’

The TTAP leader and the newly appointed leader of the opposition in the Senate, Raja Nasir Abbas, called the sentence a “serious miscarriage of justice”.

In a post on X, he said: “These human rights lawyers were convicted under the Electronic Crime Prevention Act solely for posts on social media criticizing what they saw as state abuse and advocating for marginalized communities.”

He added: “The unfair verdicts, procedural irregularities and apparent motives behind the case reveal a weaponization of the law to silence dissent and intimidate those who defend vulnerable groups.”

‘Sham beyond any doubt’

Lawyer and civil rights activist, Jibran Nasir, similarly questioned the judge’s jurisdiction to hand down the sentence. Nasir wrote on X that the judge is “expressly restrained from passing final judgment … pending the final disposal of the transfer application pending before the Islamabad High Court”.

He added: “We filed this transfer application on behalf of Imaan and Hadi on 05.12.2025 requesting the transfer of the trial from the court of Afzal Majoka. The application is yet to be heard and decided.”

“This action by Judge Afzal Majoka is coram non judice. It is not a court order, it is a nullity, not even worth the paper it is written on,” Nasir wrote.

Condemning the decision, he stated: “Imaan and Hadi have not been convicted, but this trial has been proven to be false beyond any doubt and has irreparably damaged Imaan and Hadi’s right to a fair trial, and the trial should therefore be considered flawed.”

‘Totally illegal’

Imaan’s mother and former federal minister, Shireen Mazari, similarly challenged the decision, calling it “completely illegal”.

‘No feet to stand on’

Meanwhile, journalist Mariana Baabar called the decision a “clear message to others who rise to challenge and question the state.”

In a separate tweet, she said: “When the Judiciary itself flouts the law, they have a duty to protect. From the beginning, the case had no legs to stand on.”

Human rights reporter Alifya Sohail questioned the ruling on X, asking: “How did Justice Afzal Majoka overrule the High Court and Supreme Court to give Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha 17 years while his transfer petition in that case is still pending?”

‘Horrifying’

Senior lawyer and columnist Reema Omer termed the verdict “appalling” and said it should alarm anyone who believes in dissent and freedom of expression.

Lawyer Ayman Zafar said the worrying aspect was not only the allegation of ill-treatment but the “increasing casualness” with which such complaints surfaced during the trial.

She added in a statement, adding that “being under investigation does not place anyone outside the protection of the law”.

Zafar said a system confident in its authority did not need to rely on discomfort or coercion to assert control, stressing that if the state believed its case was strong, it should allow the legal process to speak for itself.

Any action that seemed excessive, she said, distracted from the case’s merits and raised questions that need not arise in the first place.

‘Punishment disguised as process’

Constitutional lawyer Usama Khawar Ghumman said the cases were not fair trials and described them as “punishment dressed up as trial”.

In a statement, he said that in a “colonial state, the process is the punishment”, adding that keeping people in prison for long periods made appeals pointless. Although the convictions would likely be overturned on appeal, he explained that by then their freedom would already have been lost, with no compensation or accountability for the prosecution or the system.

He said the law was being used as an “instrument of control” rather than a means of justice.

‘Pursuing one’s own’

Meanwhile, lawyer Moiz Baig said the verdicts did not come as a surprise given the way the pair’s trial had been conducted.

However, he added: “What is disturbing is the way the legal community has acquiesced in its own persecutions. Imaan and Hadi’s convictions send a message across the entire legal community that those who defend those persecuted by the state will also fall victim to the power of the state.”

‘Outrageous travesty of justice’

Barrister Taimur Malik called the sentences “appalling”.

He went on to say, “Expect people from PPP and PML-N to stay quiet on this and wait their turn as well.”

Taimur Jhagra, former finance minister of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, called the situation a “mockery of justice”.

“Completely illegal, unconstitutional and baseless order with no roots in due process,” said digital rights activist Usama Khilji.

Journalist Benazir Shah said the decision had left Pakistan even poorer, “morally and legally”.