Islamabad, October 29,2026: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Thursday sentenced human rights lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, to 10 years in prison each in a case related to an alleged security breach involving an international cricket team’s route.
ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra announced the verdict at Adiala Jail, where the trial was conducted. The court also imposed fines on both accused under three separate legal provisions.
The couple was accused of removing barriers along the security route and inciting public unrest in the 2024 case. They were indicted on October 7 and pleaded not guilty before the formal trial commenced. Both had been on bail in the case before Thursday’s verdict.
The court appointed state counsel Atif Mehmood to represent the defence. The prosecution presented seven witnesses, whose statements were cross-examined by the state counsel.
On October 27, both accused recorded their statements under Section 342 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), while final arguments by the state counsel also concluded.
On Monday, the couple approached the Supreme Court (SC) to challenge an Islamabad High Court (IHC) order dated October 19 that declined to stay the trial.
The IHC had heard their appeals against an October 10 ATC order dismissing petitions challenging the framing of charges and the inclusion of terrorism-related provisions. The high court issued notices to the relevant parties and said it would decide the next course of action after receiving their responses.
Couple alleges persecution over human rights work
In their statements under Section 342 of the CrPC, Imaan and Hadi denied the charges, alleging that they were being targeted for their human rights work and pro bono legal assistance to marginalised communities.
“The evidence produced during this trial is not against us, but in fact a charge sheet against (prosecution witnesses)/police officials and the state,” the couple said in their separate but similar statements.
Describing themselves as “prisoners of conscience,” they alleged that they had been subjected to state persecution.
Imaan also said the couple had challenged the jail trial before both the IHC and the SC. She alleged that they were presented in a cage during proceedings, which restricted effective communication with their counsel and the court.
“From day one, our constitutional rights to fair trial, due process and basic human dignity have been infringed,” she stated.
The couple said they had spent more than nine months in incarceration and had received 17-year prison sentences a day after their arrest on January 23 in a separate case involving social media posts.
They alleged that their treatment was intended to discourage others from speaking out against injustice and oppression. Imaan also highlighted the personal toll of their detention, saying they had endured prolonged separation during the early years of their marriage.
Re-arrested after Supreme Court relief
The couple has remained in custody since their arrest on January 23 in a case registered over a protest outside the IHC and allegations of manhandling the president of the IHC Bar Association.
Their arrest drew criticism from human rights organisations, politicians and journalists, who called for their right to a fair trial to be upheld.
A day after their arrest, a sessions court sentenced them to 17 years in prison on multiple charges under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act in a separate case concerning their social media posts. The convictions drew criticism from lawyers and United Nations experts.
On September 17, the SC suspended their sentences in that case and ordered their release pending the IHC’s final decision on their appeals.
However, hours after the order, Islamabad police arrested the couple again in connection with the security breach case.
The case was registered at Kohsar police station on March 22, 2025, on the complaint of City Magistrate Ghulam Murtaza Chandio.
