ISLAMABAD — A Pakistani court on Friday sentenced prominent human rights lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, to a total of 17 years in prison for social media posts deemed “anti-state” under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA).
The couple, arrested while traveling to a court hearing, were accused of inciting ethnic tensions and defaming the military on X (formerly Twitter), charges they deny. The court convicted them under Sections 9, 10, and 26-A of PECA, handing five years, ten years, and two years respectively, to be served consecutively. Each was also fined Rs 36 million ($129,000).
The verdict cited posts in which the couple allegedly called Pakistan a “terrorist state” and questioned anti-terror detention policies, actions the court said eroded public trust in key institutions. While recognizing the principle of free speech, the judge ruled that their conduct crossed into subversion.
Human rights organizations have sharply criticized the ruling, describing it as part of a growing crackdown on dissent and online expression in Pakistan. The case has sparked renewed debate over the balance between national security and freedom of speech in the country.
