ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (HRNW) — Human Rights Watch has called for the immediate release of human-rights lawyers Imaan Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha after Pakistani authorities rearrested the couple shortly after the Supreme Court granted them bail.
According to Human Rights Watch, the two lawyers were rearrested on September 17, 2026, only hours after the Supreme Court ordered their release pending a final decision by the Islamabad High Court.
The organization said the new detention relates to an older case concerning their participation in a March 2025 protest in Islamabad. Police allege that the lawyers participated in an unlawful demonstration, chanted anti-government slogans and obstructed a public road.
Human Rights Watch said Mazari and Chattha had previously been convicted over social-media posts supporting local activists and criticizing the military. An Islamabad court sentenced them to 10 years in prison in January under provisions of Pakistan’s Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act.
The rights organization said the successive proceedings raise concerns about freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and due process.
Human Rights Watch is calling on authorities to disclose the evidence supporting the latest detention and to establish a lawful basis for continuing to hold the lawyers.
The organization also referred to international standards protecting lawyers from intimidation, harassment and improper interference in carrying out legitimate professional duties.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and lawyers’ organizations have also expressed concern about the proceedings, according to Human Rights Watch.
The case has become a prominent human-rights issue in Pakistan, particularly concerning the treatment of lawyers involved in rights advocacy and public criticism.
Human Rights Watch is urging Pakistani courts and prosecutors to ensure that any criminal proceedings are based on credible evidence and comply with fair-trial guarantees.
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Disclaimer
This article is based primarily on information and assessments published by Human Rights Watch and statements attributed to Pakistani authorities and other organizations. Allegations concerning the lawyers and their cases are presented as reported and have not been independently established by HRNW.
