Who Is Imaan Mazari And Why Has She Been Arrested Along With Her Husband In Pakistan?

Pakistani human rights lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband, lawyer Hadi Ali Chattha, were arrested on Fiday as they were heading to a court in Islamabad. Mazari, who is known to have never

bowed down to pressure and has continued to fight for human rights, finds herself arrested by the state yet again.

Reports say she and her husband have been arrested and sentenced to lengthy prison terms in Pakistan on charges related to their social media posts critical of the state and its institutions.

Mazari-Hazir’s mother, Dr Shireen Mazari, a former human rights minister under Imran Khan, confirmed the arrest. She said her daughter and son-in-law “have been arrested, put in separate cars, and taken away to unknown locations.”

“Fascism at its peak. Emasculated men in power must be so pleased with this achievement!” Mazari said in a post on X.

Who is Imaan Mazari?

Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir is a Pakistani human rights lawyer and activist, known for her legal work defending civil liberties, representing persecuted individuals, and challenging powerful institutions in Pakistan.

Mazari is a lawyer and human rights defender focused on civil and political rights, including cases involving enforced disappearances, racial profiling, and press freedom. She has been involved in legal efforts supporting journalists and marginalised communities and has drawn both national and international attention for her advocacy.

She graduated with a law degree from the University of Edinburgh in the UK, where she began her legal career.

She is the daughter of Pakistani politician and former federal minister for human rights, Shireen Mazari, and her father was Dr Tabish Hazir. In December 2023, she married Abdul Hadi (Hadi Ali Chattha), who is also a human rights lawyer.

Legal Challenges And Arrests

Mazari has faced legal challenges time and again and even arrests in Pakistan related to her outspoken criticism of the military and state institutions. In August 2023, she was arrested in Islamabad after participating in a protest and openly criticising Pakistan’s military at a rally — including reportedly labelling the military “terrorists” in remarks that were widely shared.

Throughout 2025, a criminal case was built against Mazari and her husband over controversial posts on social media (registered with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency in August 2025). Arrest warrants were issued later in 2025 after the court cited alleged “anti-state” content.

The couple at times secured protective bail from higher courts, even as new FIRs were lodged and warrants kept being re-issued — leading to an ongoing cycle of legal battles.

On Friday, Imaan Mazari-Hazir and her husband, lawyer Hadi Ali Chattha, were arrested in Islamabad by police while travelling to a court hearing in a case related to controversial social media posts that criticised powerful state institutions.

Authorities charged the couple under Pakistan’s Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) for allegedly posting and sharing content that “maligned” state institutions and was deemed “anti-state” or harmful to national security.

On January 24–25, 2026, a sessions court convicted them and handed down a combined 17-year prison sentence each, with large fines, in this high-profile trial.

Organisations such as the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and Amnesty International have condemned the arrests and convictions as examples of judicial harassment and suppression of dissent.