Over 100 civil society organizations, lawyers, journalists, academics, and human rights defenders have jointly appealed to Pakistan’s federal government to refrain from opposing the bail of human rights lawyers Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha. The plea comes ahead of a scheduled hearing in the Supreme Court on Tuesday. The signatories expressed serious concerns over the prolonged detention of the lawyers under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), labeling it as unjustified.
The statement highlighted that 109 days have passed since the arrest and conviction of the lawyers in a case related to lawful online expression under PECA. Despite the gravity of the situation, the Islamabad High Court has not set a hearing date for their bail applications, leading to an extended deprivation of liberty that goes against constitutional guarantees of due process and fair trial. The case has sparked worries about freedom of expression, misuse of PECA against legal speech, and the protection of fundamental rights in Pakistan.
The signatories called on the federal government, through the Attorney General of Pakistan’s office, to support the lawyers’ plea for bail and suspension of sentence in the Supreme Court. They emphasized that the continued incarceration of the lawyers in a case involving non-violent, lawful online speech does not serve justice or the public interest. The signatories reaffirmed their dedication to upholding constitutional freedoms, due process, and digital rights for all citizens in Pakistan.
In January, a sessions court in Islamabad sentenced Imaan and Hadi to a total of 17 years in prison and imposed hefty fines on them for various charges related to social media posts. The arrest and sentencing of these human rights lawyers have sparked global condemnation for the Pakistani authorities’ actions.
