New Delhi, January 26: A Pakistani court has sentenced prominent human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari and her husband to a combined 17 years in prison, a ruling that has intensified debate over shrinking space for dissent and civil liberties in Pakistan.

An Islamabad court convicted Mazari and her husband, lawyer Hadi Ali Chattha, on three charges linked to what authorities called anti-state social media posts. The court handed down sentences of five years, 10 years and two years, to run concurrently, according to court documents seen by Reuters.

Who Is Imaan Mazari?

At 32, Imaan Mazari is one of Pakistan’s most recognisable human rights lawyers. A graduate of the University of Edinburgh, her legal work has focused on enforced disappearances, minority rights, press freedom and the defence of individuals charged under Pakistan’s blasphemy laws. Imran Khan Sentencing: Former Pakistan PM Gets 14-Year Jail Sentence in Land Corruption Case, His Wife Bushra Bibi Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison.

Mazari has represented ethnic Baloch activists, journalists facing defamation cases and Afghan nationals targeted during security operations. Much of her work has brought her into direct conflict with Pakistan’s powerful security establishment, particularly over allegations of enforced disappearances in Balochistan, claims the military has repeatedly denied. Imran Khan's Sisters Protest Near Adiala Jail in Pakistan's Rawalpindi After Being Denied Permission To Meet Former PM.

Court documents said Mazari had disseminated highly offensive content online. Both Mazari and Chattha have denied the charges, saying the cases stem from their criticism of alleged human rights abuses. Speaking after her conviction, Mazari described her imprisonment as part of a broader pattern of repression. She said truth had become difficult in the country and insisted she would not back down from her work.

Mazari has frequently criticised the military’s role in politics and what she describes as the erosion of constitutional rights through rushed legislation and expanded state control. As her public profile has grown, so too have the number of cases against her, including accusations of cyber terrorism and hate speech.

She is the daughter of former federal human rights minister Shireen Mazari, who has said the family faced pressure and threats linked to her daughter’s activism but remains proud of her work defending marginalised communities.

Journalists and activists say Mazari has also been targeted with sustained online harassment, including sexist abuse and doctored images. In 2025, she received the Young Inspiration Award from the World Expression Forum for her advocacy.

That same year, a UN special rapporteur said cases against Mazari appeared to reflect arbitrary use of the legal system to intimidate human rights defenders. In January 2026, Pakistan’s military publicly named her during a press briefing, citing one of her posts while warning about so-called hidden elements operating under the guise of democracy and human rights.

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(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 26, 2026 05:14 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).