Jailing of Pakistani rights lawyers marks ‘new wave' in dissent crackdown, says former minister

Two Pakistani human rights lawyers, Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha, have been sentenced to 17 years in prison for social media posts that criticized the country's military. The posts expressed solidarity with Baloch and Pashtun activists, leading to charges of cyberterrorism and spreading false information under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA). Former human rights minister Shireen Mazari, Imaan's mother, described the case as fabricated and part of a broader, intensifying crackdown on dissent in Pakistan. Critics argue the severe sentence highlights the weaponization of the judiciary and the erosion of the rule of law to stifle criticism.