9 March 2026
Hon. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif
Prime Minister’s Office
Constitution Avenue,
G-5/2 Islamabad, Pakistan
Hon. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif,
Open Letter requesting the immediate release of detained Human Rights Defenders Idris Khattak, Imaan Mazari – Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha
South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR) a regional network of Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) is extremely disturbed about the court verdicts and the detention of HRDs Idris Khattack, Imaan Mazari – Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha. Khattak, a Pashtun HRD, was subjected to enforced and involuntary disappearance on 13 November 20219, and after being kept in state custody for 7 months he was sentenced to 14 years under the Official Secrets Act by a military court in December 2021. For Iman Mazari – Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha, multiple concurrent sentences of 17 years imprisonment and a total of PKR 36 million as fines were imposed under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) by the Sessions Court in Islamabad on 24 January 2026. These cases represent only a small fraction of Pakistan’s long and troubling history of attacks and harassment targeting HRDs for exercising their right to defend human rights which must immediately end.
Khattak had spent many years documenting human rights violations including enforced disappearances in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas. Khattak has been in prison for more than 5 years. He was charged on multiple counts of spying and other conduct ‘’prejudicial to the safety or the interests of the state’’ under section 3 of Official Secrets Act. After being subjected to the egregious crime of enforced disappearance Idris Khattak was tried in a military court without due process and fair trial. It was revealed that he was denied access to counsel, forced to make a false confession and prohibited from presenting key witnesses. In January 2021, the Peshawar High Court dismissed a petition challenging the jurisdiction of the military courts in this case. On 2 December 2021, Khattak’s sentence was reported through media entailing the military court did not make the judgment against him public. Consequently, at this stage Idris has no right to appeal the conviction or sentence before civilian courts and only has the limited right to appeal the conviction or sentence before civilian courts and only has the limited right to appeal before a military court of appeal. Under international law and international human rights standards such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), military tribunals are solely competent in trying military personnel for military offences. As such, civilians must not be subjected to jurisdiction of military courts.
Both Mazari – Hazir and Chattha have been diligent and committed HRDs in Pakistan in the recent past working on cases related to extra judicial killings, enforced disappearances, custodial abuse, as well as blasphemy. It is reported that due to their human rights legal commitments and vociferous advocacy demanding redress and accountability from the state authorities’ oppressive action, there have been 10 criminal prosecutions against them since 2022.
Criminal prosecution was initiated against Mazari- Hazir and Chattha by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) in August 2025. This case was filed under sections 9 (glorification of an offence), 10 (cyber-terrorism) ,11 (Electronic Forgery), and 26A (false and fake information) of PECA, based on the content of the social media posts made by Mazari – Hazir between 2021 and April 2025 which were shared and reposted by Chattha. It is known that PECA in Pakistan has been used to suppress freedom of expression, journalism and dissent.
The trial against the Mazari- Hazir and Chattha was reported as executed at an unusual speed for a case initiated under PECA. Mazari – Hazir and Chattha had been arrested by the police while driving to court on 23 January 2026, in spite of them being granted protective bail by the Islamabad High Court. Procedural irregularities entailing this legal process such as arbitrary arrest, denial of full access to case files, court’s assignment of lawyers without accused HRDs’ consent, trial court continuing with the proceedings while the Islamabad High Court had pending orders to consider transferring the case had taken place during the trail. These defects evidently point to a clear violation of due process leading to serious concerns about apparent judicial bias and fairness and legitimacy of the trial.
SAHR strongly believes that the sentence against Mazari – Hazir and Chattha are a clear instance of using judicial persecution and weaponizing of the justice system to intimidate HRDs, lawyers, journalists and civil society representatives in Pakistan. Further, Khattak’s case is emblematic of a series of documented enforced disappearances in Pakistan where many HRDs are silenced for their legitimate work of monitoring, documenting and advocating against a range of human rights violations.
Therefore, SAHR urges the Hon. Prime Minister, as one of the principal duty bearers of the Government of Pakistan, to
- Immediately release Mazari – Hazir and Chattha of their unjust incarceration and to ensure their safety while in detention, facilitating access to lawyers and family.
- Declare the military court trial unconstitutional based on the recent decision by the Pakistan Supreme Court and immediately release Idris Khattak and provide necessary facilities to ensure his personal well-being.
- Immediately cease any acts of intimidation and improper interference in the legitimate professional work conducted by HRDs.
Human rights defenders play a vital role in promoting justice, accountability, and the rule of law. They work to protect the rights of vulnerable and marginalized communities, often at significant personal risk. Protecting those who defend human rights is essential to maintaining democracy, the rule of law, and respect for fundamental freedoms worldwide. This responsibility rests squarely with governments. As duty-bearers under international human rights law, states must ensure that human rights defenders are provided with a safe and enabling environment in which they can carry out their vital work without fear of intimidation, harassment, or reprisal. SAHR reminds the Government of Pakistan that ensuring their protection is not merely a policy choice, but a legal and moral obligation necessary to uphold the rights and freedoms of all people.
Thank you
Yours faithfully
Dr Radhika Coomaraswamy
Chairperson
Dr. Roshmi Goswami
Co-Chairperson