Five United Nations human rights experts have strongly criticised the convictions of Pakistani lawyers Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband Hadi Ali Chattha, arguing that their prison sentences undermine fundamental freedoms and legal rights, according to a joint statement.

The Islamabad sessions court last month sentenced the couple to a combined 17 years in jail on multiple charges linked to controversial social media posts. The UN special rapporteurs emphasised that freedom of expression and professional legal work should never be equated with criminal conduct or terrorism and highlighted vague terrorism-related laws in Pakistan’s counter-terrorism framework.

The experts noted that the lawyers had faced legal complaints since 2022 but said this was the first time they had been convicted. They warned the case could chill civil society and criminalise human rights defenders if allowed to stand.

International bodies, including the European Union and human rights organisations, have also criticised the verdict, calling for respect for due process, legal independence, and international human rights norms.