Islamabad, Jan 29 (NationPress) The European Union (EU) on Thursday reminded Pakistan of its international human rights obligations while denouncing the conviction of Pakistani human rights attorneys Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chatta.

Expressing significant concern, EU spokesperson Anouar El Anouni stated that the sentencing of these human rights lawyers regarding their social media activities undermines the principles of freedom of expression and lawyer independence.

"The conviction of human rights lawyers Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha for their social media activities contradicts the core values of freedom of expression and the autonomy of lawyers. These are fundamental democratic principles and integral to Pakistan's international human rights commitments," Anouni, the EU's spokesperson for foreign affairs and security policy, conveyed on X.

In response to the EU's statement, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry asserted that the matter is a domestic affair.

Last month, the 15th European Union (EU)-Pakistan Joint Commission convened in Brussels, where both parties assessed political and economic developments in the EU and Pakistan and engaged in extensive discussions regarding EU-Pakistan cooperation in democracy, governance, human rights, trade and investment, migration, climate and energy, as well as the execution of the EU-Pakistan Strategic Engagement Plan (SEP).

The EU ranks as Pakistan's second-largest trading partner, with Pakistan being the primary recipient of the Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) arrangement, significantly influencing the growth of bilateral trade.

The arrest and subsequent conviction of Pakistani human rights lawyers Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chatta by Pakistani authorities have faced severe global condemnation.

The duo was reportedly apprehended in Islamabad last week while en route to the district courts.

Both lawyers had been indicted by an Islamabad court in October last year concerning alleged controversial social media posts.

“This action represents a direct assault on constitutional rights, civil liberties, and attorney independence. Such measures are intolerable in any democratic society and signal a perilous trend of violating instead of protecting fundamental rights,” stated the Human Rights Commission (HRC) of Pakistan.

The rights organization demanded the immediate and unconditional release of both lawyers and the cessation of all illegal and vindictive actions against them.

“Upholding the rule of law, the Constitution of Pakistan, and international human rights standards is the government's fundamental duty, which cannot be compromised for political or administrative convenience,” it emphasized.

Following the arrest, journalists, lawmakers, and human rights organizations vehemently condemned the actions and sought justice for the two lawyers.

The opposition leader in the Pakistani Senate, Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, expressed on his social media platform X that the arrest of human rights advocate Imaan and Hadi while traveling to court “underscores the alarming pattern of state overreach and procedural irregularities that undermine the principles of fair trial and due process enshrined in Pakistani laws and international agreements.”

“Such actions by the state not only reveal institutional weaknesses but also threaten a complete judicial collapse, diminishing public trust in the rule of law. I demand respect for the rule of law, fair trial, and justice for all. Imaan and Hadi should be immediately granted bail and allowed to defend themselves in their ongoing trial. Stop silencing dissent and the champions of human rights,” he added.

Former senator Afrasiab Khattak condemned the arrest of the human rights lawyers as “a blatant attack by the usurpers on human rights and the rule of law, as both young lawyers defended victims in the courts.”

“However, fascist tactics cannot shield the usurpers from the people's wrath, who will undoubtedly hold them accountable,” he asserted.

Another human rights organization, Baloch Voice for Justice (BVJ), denounced the arrests, stating, “These apprehensions illustrate state tactics that depend on intimidation rather than the law. Silencing lawyers and activists for stating the truth constitutes a direct assault on due process and fundamental freedoms.