Pakistani Human Rights Lawyers Sentenced for 'Anti-State' Social Media Posts

A Pakistani court sentenced human rights lawyers Zainab Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha to 17 years in prison over social media posts viewed as hostile to the state. The couple, arrested in Islamabad, denied charges of disseminating anti-state content. Rights groups condemned the verdict as judicial harassment.

A Pakistani court sentenced two human rights lawyers to 17 years in prison each over social media posts deemed hostile to state security. The sentencing of Zainab Mazari and her husband Hadi Ali Chattha has sparked international outrage.

The verdict, delivered by Judge Afzal Majoka, accused Mazari of tweets aligning with banned groups' agendas and charged both lawyers with obstructing justice. The prosecution attributed their convictions to a narrative supporting outlawed separatist organisations.

After the verdict, international rights organizations, including Amnesty International, called for the couple's immediate release. The case underscores escalating tensions between the Pakistani government and human rights defenders amid a broader crackdown on dissent.

(With inputs from agencies.)