Pakistan: End Judicial Harassment of Human Rights Lawyers Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha

The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and the undersigned organizations express deep concern over the ongoing judicial harassment of human rights lawyers Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha in Pakistan.

The prosecution, widely known publicly as the “tweets case,” targets social media commentary critical of state conduct, including allegations of enforced disappearances and other human rights violations in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces. Their case reflects a broader and troubling pattern of reprisals against those who document human rights violations or demand accountability.

Escalating Retaliation

The case originates from a complaint filed on 12 August 2025 by the National Cybercrime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), alleging that Mazari’s posts “aligned with hostile terrorist groups” and implicating Chattha for reposting them.

In September 2025, an Islamabad court issued non-bailable arrest warrants for both lawyers, an unusually severe measure taken before any substantive judicial scrutiny of the allegations.

On 30 October 2025, formal charges were filed under several sections of PECA, triggering a rapid sequence of hearings. That same week, Chattha was detained despite appearing in court pursuant to a summons, raising concerns regarding the execution of the arrest and its coercive impact.

Proceedings were subsequently accelerated, with the trial court scheduling a verdict for 8 December 2025–barely weeks after indictment and despite outstanding procedural challenges raised by the defence.

Due Process Violations

The trial has been marked by serious procedural irregularities that undermine fair-trial guarantees. Defence teams have reported difficulties maintaining consistent legal representation, with counsel changes and objections to state-appointed lawyers not being upheld by the court. Proceedings have routinely been scheduled on short notice and compressed into an accelerated timetable, depriving the defence of adequate time to prepare.

The defendants have also raised objections under Section 342 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), asserting that statements and evidence were handled without adequate notice or their meaningful participation. These concerns are now before the Islamabad High Court.

Multiple parallel complaints in different jurisdictions have compounded pressure on the defendants and further restricted their ability to mount an effective defence.

These practices violate Pakistan’s obligations under Articles 9 and 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which guarantee the right to liberty, due process, and a fair trial.

Weaponization of PECA

The indictment under Sections 9, 10, 11, and 26A of PECA demonstrates the increasingly common use of cybercrime legislation to criminalize dissent and silence criticism of state institutions. Such prosecution of peaceful expression raises serious questions of necessity and proportionality under Pakistan’s international obligations, including the ICCPR.

These actions also contravene the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers, which prohibit subjecting lawyers to prosecution, intimidation, or interference for carrying out their professional duties or exercising their right to freedom of expression.

The combination of early warrants, parallel complaints, and accelerated proceedings illustrates how the criminal justice system is being used to intimidate public-interest lawyers and chill legitimate advocacy.

Supreme Court Stay on Proceedings

On 8 December, the trial court adjourned proceedings to 15 December in light of pending petitions before the Islamabad High Court challenging the trial’s procedural legality.

On 11 December 2025, the Supreme Court stayed all trial-court proceedings until the Islamabad High Court rules on the defendants’ appeals and criminal revision petitions. A three-judge bench led by Justice Muhammad Hashim Khan Kakar instructed the High Court to provide a full and fair opportunity to both parties.

Call to Action

While the stay halts proceedings previously scheduled to resume on 15 December and offers limited procedural relief, it does not address the structural misuse of criminal law to target protected expression and human rights work.

We urge the Government of Pakistan to immediately end all judicial and administrative reprisals against Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha and to withdraw all charges arising from their peaceful exercise of freedom of expression and legitimate professional activities.

The authorities must also cease the misuse of PECA and move toward its repeal. Furthermore, they must cease deploying other criminal provisions to target dissent or human rights defenders, as such practices are incompatible with Pakistan’s obligations to uphold fundamental freedoms, safeguard due process, and protect the independence of the legal profession under international law.

We will continue to closely monitor the case and reiterate our call for an immediate end to all forms of reprisal against human rights defenders in Pakistan.