|
Baloch Voice for Justice has strongly condemned the sentencing of prominent human rights lawyers Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chatha to 10 years in prison each by an Anti-Terrorism Court in Islamabad, raising concerns over judicial independence and the freedom to defend human rights in Pakistan, according to a statement shared by the organisation on X.
In its post, Baloch Voice for Justice said Pakistan's judicial system had increasingly become a tool for suppressing dissent rather than delivering justice. It described the sentencing of the two lawyers, who have represented victims of enforced disappearances and expressed solidarity with Baloch and Pashtun activists, as a matter raising serious questions about the impartiality and independence of the country's judicial system. The organisation said that imposing terrorism-related charges on lawyers for their human rights advocacy and legal work undermined fundamental freedoms and the protection of legal professionals. Citing Amnesty International, Baloch Voice for Justice stated that Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chatha had been deprived of their fundamental right to a fair and open trial. It said the lawyers were initially not allowed to participate personally in court proceedings and were subsequently made to attend hearings held inside prison premises while being kept behind cage-like enclosures. According to the statement, Amnesty International described the sentences as a grave indictment of Pakistan's justice system and called for the immediate release of both lawyers and the withdrawal of all charges against them. Baloch Voice for Justice further alleged that Pakistan's judiciary had become increasingly powerless, with decisions appearing to be influenced by powerful military circles rather than being independently determined by courts. The organisation claimed that judges were merely endorsing decisions made elsewhere, raising concerns over the erosion of judicial independence and the rule of law. It further argued that a judicial system in which human rights advocacy is treated as a crime and dissent is portrayed as terrorism contradicts the fundamental principles of justice. The organisation appealed to international human rights organisations, relevant United Nations bodies and the global legal community to review the cases of Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chatha, particularly the alleged violations of their right to a fair trial. Baloch Voice for Justice urged international stakeholders to raise their voices for the immediate release of the two lawyers and take effective steps towards safeguarding judicial independence, protecting human rights lawyers and addressing ongoing human rights violations in Pakistan. (ANI)
|
