University teachers in the United Kingdom and the United States have demanded the immediate release of jailed Pakistani lawyers Imaan Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha, adding academic voices to the growing international pressure over the couple’s detention.
In a joint statement reported on Saturday, the academics said: “Criminal law must not become a weapon for silencing dissent or intimidating lawyers for their advocacy.” The call for Imaan Hadi release follows a similar demand by UN experts earlier this month.
The Imaan Hadi release case so far
Mazari-Hazir and Chattha, a married couple known for representing victims of state oppression, were sentenced to 17 years in prison each on January 24 by an Islamabad sessions court. The case, registered by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency under provisions of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, centred on social media posts in which the couple expressed solidarity with Baloch and Pashtun activists and criticised the military.
On September 17, the Supreme Court suspended their sentences and granted them bail against surety bonds of Rs200,000 each. But within hours, an Islamabad anti-terrorism court sent them back into judicial custody on terrorism-related charges linked to a protest in March 2025 that authorities allege was illegal.
The timing of the rearrest drew sharp criticism. UN experts demanded their immediate release on October 1, questioning whether the prosecution was being used to punish the couple’s public criticism and human rights work. Amnesty International called the rearrest a politically motivated attempt to punish them for their advocacy, while 243 lawyers, academics and journalists signed a separate statement condemning it.
Why academics are speaking out
The couple’s case has become a focal point for concerns about the use of criminal and anti-terrorism laws against lawyers in Pakistan. The academics’ statement argues that prosecuting lawyers for their professional representation and human rights advocacy creates a chilling effect across the legal profession, discouraging others from taking up politically sensitive cases.
“Criminal law must not become a weapon for silencing dissent or intimidating lawyers for their advocacy,” the statement says, urging Pakistani authorities to ensure the couple can practise their profession without intimidation or improper interference.
The academics join a lengthening list of international voices. Beyond the UN experts and Amnesty International, 243 lawyers, academics and journalists signed a joint statement last month condemning the rearrest, while global civil society groups have urged Pakistan to review its use of PECA and anti-terrorism legislation against journalists, lawyers and peaceful critics.
An Islamabad anti-terrorism court has also indicted the couple in a separate security breach case, adding to the legal battles they face.
What happens next
The couple remains in custody while multiple proceedings continue, including the Islamabad High Court’s pending decision on their appeals against the January convictions. Each new statement of international concern raises the diplomatic cost of their detention, but Pakistani authorities have so far shown no sign of dropping the charges.
Whether the academic intervention shifts the legal trajectory will become clearer as the courts take up the pending appeals in the coming weeks.
The academics’ statement was reported by Dawn on Saturday.
