March 10, 2026
By Xari Jalil
LAHORE
A prominent South Asian human rights network has called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to immediately release three detained human rights defenders, warning that their imprisonment represents a troubling escalation in the use of state laws to silence dissent and restrict civil liberties in Pakistan.
In an open letter dated March 9, the regional organization South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR) expressed “extreme disturbance” over the continued detention and court verdicts against activists Idris Khattak, Imaan Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha.
The group said the cases illustrate a broader pattern of intimidation and harassment faced by human rights defenders in Pakistan, particularly those who challenge alleged abuses by state institutions or advocate for accountability.
Concerns over military trial of Idris Khattak
SAHR’s letter highlights the case of Khattak, a Pashtun rights defender known for documenting human rights violations and enforced disappearances in Pakistan’s northwestern regions.
Khattak was allegedly subjected to enforced disappearance on November 13, 2019. According to rights organizations, he remained in state custody for seven months before authorities formally acknowledged his detention.
In December 2021, Khattak was sentenced to 14 years in prison under the Official Secrets Act by a military court after being charged with multiple counts of espionage and actions considered “prejudicial to the safety or interests of the state.”
SAHR says the trial process raised serious concerns about due process. The organization states that Khattak was denied access to legal counsel during parts of the proceedings, allegedly forced to make a confession, and barred from presenting key witnesses in his defense.
The judgment against Khattak was never made public, the group says, leaving him with limited avenues for appeal. Currently, his only recourse is to challenge the conviction before a military court of appeal rather than a civilian court.
SAHR argues that this violates international legal standards, including those under the United Nations framework and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which restrict the jurisdiction of military tribunals to military personnel and military offenses.
“Civilians must not be subjected to the jurisdiction of military courts,” the organization said, urging the government to declare Khattak’s military trial unconstitutional and secure his immediate release.
Khattak has now spent more than five years behind bars.
Sentences under cybercrime law
The letter also raises alarm over the recent conviction of lawyers and human rights advocates Mazari-Hazir and Chattha.
On January 24, 2026, a sessions court in Islamabad handed down concurrent sentences totaling 17 years in prison to both individuals under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA). The court also imposed fines amounting to PKR 36 million.
The charges stem from social media posts made by Mazari-Hazir between 2021 and April 2025 that were later shared or reposted by Chattha.
Authorities filed the case in August 2025 through the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA). Prosecutors invoked several sections of PECA, including provisions related to glorification of an offence, cyber-terrorism, electronic forgery and the dissemination of allegedly false information.
Human rights groups, however, have repeatedly criticized PECA, arguing that it has increasingly been used to curb freedom of expression, suppress journalism and prosecute dissenting voices online.
SAHR noted that both Mazari-Hazir and Chattha have worked extensively on sensitive human rights cases in Pakistan, including those involving extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, custodial abuse and blasphemy accusations.
Because of their work and public advocacy, the organization says the two lawyers have faced around 10 criminal prosecutions since 2022.
Allegations of procedural irregularities
SAHR also questioned the legal process that led to the convictions of Mazari-Hazir and Chattha, describing the proceedings as unusually rapid and marred by procedural irregularities.
According to the organization, the two lawyers were arrested by police on January 23, 2026 while they were on their way to court — despite having been granted protective bail by the Islamabad High Court.
The letter further alleges that the defendants were denied full access to case files, had lawyers assigned to them by the court without their consent, and faced trial proceedings that continued even while the Islamabad High Court was considering transferring the case.
“These defects evidently point to a clear violation of due process,” SAHR wrote, adding that the circumstances raise serious questions about judicial fairness and the legitimacy of the verdict.
“Weaponization of the justice system”
The organization warned that the convictions send a chilling message to lawyers, journalists and civil society activists across Pakistan.
SAHR said the prosecution of Mazari-Hazir and Chattha appears to be an example of “judicial persecution and the weaponization of the justice system” against individuals engaged in legitimate human rights advocacy.
The group also described Khattak’s case as emblematic of Pakistan’s long-documented pattern of enforced disappearances, particularly affecting activists, journalists and members of ethnic minority communities who speak out against abuses.
Human rights defenders, the organization stressed, play a critical role in documenting violations and advocating for accountability, often at considerable personal risk.
Appeal to the government
In its letter, SAHR urged the prime minister and the Pakistani government to take several immediate steps.
These include releasing Mazari-Hazir and Chattha from what it described as unjust incarceration, ensuring their safety while in detention, and guaranteeing access to legal counsel and family members.
The group also called for Khattak’s military court conviction to be declared unconstitutional and for his immediate release.
In addition, SAHR urged authorities to cease what it called acts of intimidation and interference against human rights defenders carrying out their professional work.
“Protecting those who defend human rights is essential to maintaining democracy, the rule of law and respect for fundamental freedoms,” the letter states.
The organization emphasized that under international human rights law, governments have a legal obligation to provide a safe environment for activists and civil society representatives to operate without fear of harassment or reprisal.
Regional appeal
The open letter was signed by SAHR chairperson Radhika Coomaraswamy and co-chairperson Roshmi Goswami.
SAHR is a regional network of human rights defenders from across South Asia that works on issues including accountability, transitional justice and the protection of civil liberties.
The organization said it hopes the Pakistani government will act swiftly to address the concerns raised in the letter and ensure that activists, lawyers and civil society members are able to carry out their work freely.
“Ensuring their protection is not merely a policy choice,” the letter concludes, “but a legal and moral obligation necessary to uphold the rights and freedoms of all people.”