Lawyers Imaan Zainab Mazari and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, have been awarded the esteemed Ludovic Trarieux International Human Rights Prize in recognition of their work for human rights and marginalised communities, it emerged on Tuesday.

Imaan and Chattha are currently serving prison terms after a district and sessions court in Islamabad convicted them earlier this year in a case related to controversial social media posts and sentenced each of them to 17 years in prison.

According to a statement issued by the Forensic Union for the Protection of Human Rights (UFDU) on June 13, the prize is considered the oldest and one of the most prestigious international honours awarded to a lawyer.

Established in memory of Ludovic Trarieux, a French lawyer who founded the League for the Defence of Human and Citizen Rights in 1898, the prize is awarded annually to a lawyer who has made an exceptional contribution to the defence of human rights, the rule of law and the fight against racism and all forms of intolerance through their professional commitment.

The award ceremony was held at the Parlamentino Hall of the National Bar Council in Rome. Lawyer Antonino Galletti, coordinator of the European and International Law Commission at the National Bar Council, was among those present.

The statement noted that, in recent years, Imaan and Chattha had carried out their work “against a backdrop of growing pressure on lawyers and human rights defenders in Pakistan, according to international organisations and observers”.

“By awarding the 2026 Ludovic Trarieux International Human Rights Prize, the jury recognised the professional and personal contribution of Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha to the defence of the rule of law, fundamental freedoms and access to justice,” the statement said.

In a post on X, Imaan’s mother and former federal minister, Shireen Mazari, described the recognition as “an immense professional honour” and expressed gratitude for the award.

Case background

The case against Imaan and Hadi relates to allegedly controversial posts and reposts on X, described by authorities as “anti-state”. The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency registered the case under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016, alleging the content was intended to incite divisions and portray state institutions negatively.

The social media posts case reached the Islamabad High Court (IHC) after the trial court’s November 19 proceedings, during which testimonies of all prosecution witnesses were recorded. The two layers had challenged procedural irregularities, including recording evidence in their absence and the appointment of state-appointed counsel without their consent, prompting the IHC’s intervention.

Legal bodies, including the Islamabad Bar Association, have criticised aspects of the proceedings, arguing that the defendants’ right to a fair defence has been undermined.

Their plea to transfer the case was heard by the high court, which declined to grant an immediate stay. The couple then approached the Supreme Court, which temporarily halted the trial until the high court completed its hearing.

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Meanwhile, multiple other FIRs surfaced against the couple during this time. One of the newly surfaced FIRs, registered at Kohsar Police Station on July 26, 2025, was filed on the complaint of Superintendent of Police Safdar Hussain in connection with a protest by the Balock Yakjehti Committee at the National Press Club under multiple sections of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

The couple were arrested on January 23 near the underpass outside the Serena Hotel while travelling to the district courts, and later sent to 14 days’ judicial remand by an anti-terrorism court.

A district and sessions court later sentenced both to a combined 17 years’ rigorous imprisonment each: five years under PECA Section 9 (plus a Rs5 million fine), 10 years under Section 10 (plus Rs30 million), and two years under Section 26-A (plus Rs1 million), with additional jail time in case of non-payment of fines. The judge also acquitted them of the PECA hate-speech charge under Section 11, saying prosecution witnesses did not support that allegation.

During proceedings conducted via video link, Imaan alleged mistreatment in custody and announced a boycott of the hearing. The judgment noted the pair were already in custody in another case and said they would remain in jail to serve their sentences, with credit for time spent in detention under Section 382-B of the Criminal Procedure Code.