The United Nations Human Rights Office, along with various human rights and legal organizations, has strongly criticized the sentencing of Pakistani human rights lawyers Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chatta. The organizations expressed concerns over the misuse of Pakistan’s Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) to stifle dissent in the country. Imaan and Hadi were recently handed a combined 17-year prison term and fined 36 million Pakistani rupees each for charges related to their social media posts.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights labeled the conviction and sentencing of Imaan and Hadi under PECA as “deeply disturbing.” It highlighted the risks associated with using such laws to suppress freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, urging the Pakistani government to uphold its international human rights commitments.
Several international legal and human rights bodies denounced the arrest and conviction of the lawyers as arbitrary and part of a broader pattern of harassment against them. The organizations emphasized that the repeated legal actions against Imaan and Hadi have disrupted their work, violated their rights, and hindered their ability to represent victims of state abuses effectively.
The use of PECA in response to social media content was criticized as a tool by Pakistani authorities to silence dissent and target legitimate human rights activities. The organizations called on Pakistan to adhere to its international legal obligations, including respecting the rights of lawyers to carry out their duties without fear of intimidation or prosecution for their professional actions or freedom of expression.
