Pakistan re-arrests lawyers Imaan Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali
Amnesty International condemns the re-arrest of two human rights lawyers in Pakistan hours after the Supreme Court granted them bail, calling it a
Pakistani authorities re-arrested human rights lawyers Imaan Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha on September 17, just hours after the Supreme Court granted them bail. Amnesty International has condemned the move as a politically motivated attempt to punish them for their work.
Babu Ram Pant, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for South Asia, stated that the re-arrest dispels any pretence that the charges are legitimate. "Their case demonstrates once again the authorities’ willingness to weaponize the legal system against critical voices," Pant said. He called the latest charges, related to attending a peaceful protest, absurd and an insult to their lifelong commitment to human rights.
Background of the case
Imaan Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha had been in arbitrary detention for nearly eight months prior to the Supreme Court's decision. They were originally arrested on January 23 and sentenced the next day to between 10 and 17 years of imprisonment. Their convictions were under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act for social media posts critical of the authorities.
The charges and sentences from their initial arrest in January were as follows:
| Charge Under PECA | Sentence Imposed |
|---|---|
| Section 9 (glorification of an offence) | 10 to 17 years imprisonment |
| Section 10 (cyber terrorism) | 10 to 17 years imprisonment |
| Section 26-A (false or fake information) | 10 to 17 years imprisonment |
The re-arrest and new charges
On the evening of September 17, while paperwork for their release was being processed inside Adila Jail in Rawalpindi, the two lawyers were taken back into police custody. They were produced before an anti-terrorism judge who ordered a 14-day remand back to the same jail.
The new case against them was registered on March 22, 2025. It accuses them of chanting anti-government slogans and allegedly blocking roads during a protest. The charges are based on several sections of the Pakistan Penal Code and the Anti-Terrorism Act.
Legal framework used against the lawyers
The authorities are employing a broad array of legal provisions. Amnesty International argues this demonstrates the weaponization of the justice system to silence critics.
The new charges filed in March include the following:
| Legal Code | Section | Offense Description |
|---|---|---|
| Pakistan Penal Code | 188 | Disobedience of an order lawfully promulgated by a public servant |
| Pakistan Penal Code | 341 | Wrongful restraint |
| Pakistan Penal Code | 506 | Punishment for criminal intimidation |
| Pakistan Penal Code | 353 | Assault or use of criminal force to deter a public servant |
| Pakistan Penal Code | 186 | Obstructing a public servant in official duties |
| Anti-Terrorism Act | 7 | Not specified in source, but used in this case |
Call for immediate release
Amnesty International has demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Imaan Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha. The organization insists there must be no further charges to prolong their detention.
Babu Ram Pant stated that the lawyers should be free to reunite with friends and family and to continue their work representing victims of human rights violations. The group frames the incident as part of a wider pattern of misusing legal systems to target critical voices in Pakistan. The paperwork for their release was still being processed when police took them back into custody at Adila Jail.
