A Pakistani court on Saturday sentenced prominent rights activist Imaan Mazari and her husband to 10 years in prison over what it described as “anti-state” content shared on social media.
Mazari, a 32-year-old lawyer and outspoken critic of Pakistan’s powerful military, was accused of disseminating “highly offensive” material on her X (formerly Twitter) account, according to a ruling issued by an Islamabad court.
A written court statement said Mazari and her husband, fellow lawyer Hadi Ali Chattha, were each handed 10-year jail terms, with sentences on three separate charges to run concurrently.
The verdict came a day after police arrested the couple in the capital as they were en route to attend a court hearing.
Mazari is the daughter of former federal minister for human rights Shireen Mazari. Her late father was one of Pakistan’s leading paediatricians.
She is widely known for her pro bono work on some of the country’s most sensitive human rights cases, including enforced disappearances of ethnic Balochs, and for representing leading Baloch activist Mahrang Baloch.
Mazari has also defended individuals accused of blasphemy, one of Pakistan’s most controversial and incendiary charges as well as Afghan nationals targeted in recent government crackdowns.
The sentencing comes amid growing concern from rights groups over shrinking civic space in Pakistan, as constitutional changes and hastily passed legislation have strengthened state control while eroding political and civil liberties.
