Pakistan jails two lawyers for 17 years over old tweets

February 20, 2026

Two prominent Pakistani human rights lawyers, Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha, received 17-year prison sentences in January 2026 for tweets they posted between 2021 and 2025 criticizing military operations in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces. The prosecution used Pakistan's Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), originally designed to combat cybercrime, to charge them with offenses including cyber terrorism and spreading false information harmful to national security. Their trial proceeded at an unusually rapid pace—moving from indictment to sentencing in under three months—with significant due process violations, including limited access to case files, restricted cross-examination of witnesses, and the couple being physically absent from parts of their own proceedings.

Who is affected

Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir (32-year-old human rights lawyer sentenced to 17 years)
Hadi Ali Chattha (human rights lawyer sentenced to 17 years)
Shireen Mazari (Imaan's mother, former human rights minister)
Mahrang Baloch (Baloch rights activist, now in detention, previously represented by Mazari)
Baloch activists, families of missing persons, and journalists who were represented by the couple
People in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces affected by alleged military abuses
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) opposition party members charged under PECA
Journalists including Farhan Mallick, Sohrab Barkat, Ahmad Noorani, Asad Ali Toor, Bilal Ghauri, and Absar Alam
Human rights activist Jalila Haider
Survivors of sexual violence and individuals accused of blasphemy who were clients of the lawyers
Pakistani bar associations conducting strikes
Legal professionals and civil society actors across Pakistan facing a chilling effect
Asma Jahangir Legal Aid Cell organization

What action is being taken

Pakistan's bar associations are conducting a three-day strike in protest of the sentencing
Defense counsel is being denied full access to case files
The Islamabad High Court has pending orders to consider transferring the case

Why it matters

This case represents a significant erosion of fundamental legal rights and freedom of expression in Pakistan. The weaponization of cybercrime legislation to criminalize legitimate criticism of state institutions threatens the ability of lawyers, journalists, and activists to advocate for human rights and hold powerful entities accountable. The severe due process violations—including rapid proceedings, restricted cross-examination rights, and the absence of defendants from their own trial—undermine the foundations of fair judicial process. The 17-year sentence for social media posts criticizing military operations sets a dangerous precedent that could deter legal professionals from representing marginalized communities and taking on sensitive cases involving state power. International observers note this represents a pattern of using vaguely-worded laws to silence dissent, which contradicts democratic principles requiring public institutions to tolerate scrutiny and criticism. The case is particularly significant because it targets lawyers who have dedicated their careers to defending vulnerable populations, including victims of enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, sexual violence, and blasphemy accusations.

What's next

The couple's defense lawyers plan to appeal the verdict. The Islamabad High Court has pending orders to consider transferring the case, though the trial court has continued proceedings despite this.

Read full article from source: Global Voices