UN experts slam Pakistan’s ‘vague’ terror laws, demand lawyer couple's release
UN human rights experts have criticized Pakistan for its use of vague counter-terrorism laws to detain lawyers Imaan Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha. The experts argue that the rearrest of the couple following their bail is an attempt to suppress freedom of expression and human rights advocacy.
Why it matters
The case raises critical questions about the intersection of national security legislation and the protection of civil liberties and legal rights in Pakistan.
United Nations human rights experts have stepped up pressure on Pakistan to release Pakistani lawyers Imaan Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha, after the married couple was rearrested on terrorism-related charges just hours after the Supreme Court granted them bail on September 17.The Office of the UN high commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said that the latest charges relate to an earlier case dating back to March 2025, when the two lawyers were accused in connection with their participation in a protest that authorities deemed illegal.The UN experts said they had already expressed concern over the couple’s conviction in a separate case involving social media posts in which they supported local activists and criticised the military.They said the decision to invoke an older case immediately after Mazari-Hazir and Chattha secured bail “appears to be an attempt” to use the criminal justice system to punish freedom of expression and human rights advocacy.The…
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in