International Groups Call for Release of Pakistani Human Rights Lawyers

A coalition of 15 international human rights organizations has issued a formal demand for the immediate release of Pakistani attorneys Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha. The couple was taken back into custody on September 17, only hours after the Supreme Court of Pakistan granted them bail and suspended their convictions in a separate social media case. Following the court's decision, they were detained under new charges at the Kohsar Police Station and subsequently appeared before an anti-terrorism court.

The joint statement from the rights groups warns that the rearrest undermines the rule of law and threatens the legal defense of religious minorities. Mazari-Hazir and Chattha are known for representing clients in high-profile blasphemy cases, which are often linked to property disputes or personal vendettas. The organizations argue that the repeated detention of these lawyers discourages legal professionals from defending victims of persecution. They are calling for the authorities to provide a clear legal basis for the new charges and to ensure that the couple’s professional advocacy is protected from retaliatory judicial actions.