Amnesty Urges PM Shehbaz to Release Two Human Rights Lawyers Convicted on Fake Social Media Charges

Human rights organization Amnesty International issued an urgent appeal on Monday calling for the immediate and unconditional release of human rights lawyers Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha. The pair were convicted in Islamabad last month, linked to alleged posts and reposts on X that investigators described as “anti-state.” The case was registered by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016, with allegations they sought to undermine state institutions.

Their convictions have been widely condemned. Amnesty International today issued an urgent action appeal and called on the public to write to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif about their release. In a model letter written to the premier, Amnesty recounted their arrest and conviction, stating they were “being targeted solely for their advocacy and work defending human rights in the country.” The organisation noted that their trial was conducted with “unusual haste,” adding that they were “consistently denied the right to cross-examine witnesses and bring evidence against them.”

Amnesty International praised Mazari and Chattha as lawyers who had defended countless people. They are currently representing journalists, activists, and victims of enforced disappearances and blasphemy allegations.

The organisation stated that their imprisonment impacts many others who deserve representation by these lawyers. The use of laws such as PECA to silence and criminalize peaceful dissent is a matter of grave concern and a clear violation of Pakistan’s international human rights obligations.

“I urge your government to immediately and unconditionally release Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha, and quash their convictions,” the organisation said. “I also call on you to end the misuse of the criminal justice system, including cybercrime laws, to target human rights defenders. I trust your commitment to justice and human rights will guide your actions in addressing these grave concerns.”

European Union Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Anouar El Anouni said in a post on X that the convictions violated freedom of expression and lawyer independence.

Last week, Pakistan’s FO Spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi defended the case as a domestic matter under local laws. He noted the relevant individuals have rights to appeal through judicial recourse.