The Human Rights Council (HRC) of Pakistan has strongly criticized the arrest of Pakistani human rights lawyers Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chatta. The HRC described the arrests as a violation of fundamental rights. Imaan and Hadi were taken into custody in Islamabad while en route to the district courts. Both lawyers had been charged in October last year in connection with alleged controversial social media posts.
The HRC of Pakistan emphasized that such actions represent a direct assault on constitutional rights, civil liberties, and the professional independence of lawyers. The council stressed that these measures are unacceptable in any democratic society and signal a troubling trend of rights violations rather than protections. Demanding the immediate and unconditional release of the lawyers, the rights body also called for an end to all “illegal and vindictive” proceedings against them.
The arrest of Imaan and Hadi prompted strong condemnation from journalists, parliamentarians, and human rights organizations. Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, the opposition leader in the Pakistani Senate, criticized the arrests on social media, highlighting concerns about state overreach and procedural irregularities that undermine fair trial principles. He called for respect for the rule of law, fair trial procedures, and justice for all, urging that Imaan and Hadi be granted bail and allowed to defend themselves in their ongoing trial.
Former senator Afrasiab Khattak characterized the arrests of the human rights lawyers as a blatant attack on human rights and the rule of law. He criticized what he termed as fascist tactics employed by the state and emphasized that accountability cannot be evaded. Another human rights organization, Baloch Voice for Justice (BVJ), condemned the arrests as reflective of state intimidation tactics that suppress freedom of speech. The BVJ underscored that silencing lawyers and activists for speaking the truth undermines due process and fundamental freedoms.
