Detained Pakistani rights lawyers allege torture in custody, boycott court hearing

Human rights lawyers Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chatha boycotted court proceedings on Saturday, in a controversial social media case in Pakistan, alleging custodial torture and mistreatment/

The trial court indicated that it may announce a verdict in the near future.

Judicial Magistrate Afzal Majoka conducted the hearing. Both accused were produced before the court via video link from Adiala Jail, a high-security prison near Rawalpindi.

During the proceedings, the magistrate asked whether the defence intended to begin cross-examination of prosecution witnesses. Responding via video link, Mazari alleged that she and her co-accused were being subjected to torture while in custody.

“We are being tortured. We are not being provided food or water,” Mazari told the court.

In a tense exchange, she directly addressed the magistrate, saying, “You are merely concerned about keeping a job. It is because of you that all this is happening.”

Mazari then announced that both accused were boycotting the proceedings, stating that they would not participate in what they described as an unfair trial.

In response, Magistrate Majoka remarked, “You mean you do not want to be part of the proceedings? Then wait for the verdict.”

Shortly before the hearing concluded, Mazari and Chatha stood up and exited the video link session. The magistrate subsequently directed court staff to place the entire proceedings on record and indicated that the court would move towards an early decision in the case.

During the hearing, defence counsel Ashraf Gujar requested that the accused be produced physically before the court rather than via video link. The magistrate noted, however, that all statements made by the accused during the hearing had already become part of the official court record.

“Whatever both accused have said is now on record,” Magistrate Majoka observed.

What's the case

Imaan and Hadi, both prominent lawyers and outspoken critics of Pakistan’s state institutions, are facing trial over a social media post that authorities allege contained inflammatory and unlawful content.

The case has drawn significant attention from legal professionals, journalists, and international human rights organizations, many of whom argue that the charges reflect a broader pattern of restrictions on freedom of expression in the country.

Earlier this week, Mazari and Chatha were arrested in Islamabad while en route to surrender before a trial court after spending a couple of days at the Islamabad High Court Bar Association premises. Their arrest prompted protests by lawyers and civil society activists, who described the action as unlawful and harassing.

The pair were later placed on judicial remand by an anti-terrorism court, a move that also sparked controversy after reports that the proceedings took place in the absence of defence lawyers and media representatives.

The case has become emblematic of wider concerns surrounding due process, the treatment of detainees, and freedom of expression in Pakistan, with human rights groups closely monitoring its outcome as the court moves towards a possible verdict.