The spokesperson for the Baloch National Movement (BNM) said that sentencing Imaan Mazari and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, to ten years in prison each represents the political weaponisation of Pakistan’s judicial system and a grave violation of fundamental human rights. Since its occupation of Balochistan, Pakistan has maintained its control through Army, functioning as a security state in which the Army enjoys virtually unchecked powers.
The spokesperson said the verdict demonstrates that those who speak out against state repression, injustice and human rights violations, particularly those advocating for the rights of the Baloch nation, are subjected to state vengeance rather than granted justice. In the past, Sabeen Mahmud was murdered, while journalist Hamid Mir survived an assassination attempt after speaking out against enforced disappearances. Today, the Pakistan Army is using the judiciary, parliament, police, press clubs, bar councils and other state and semi-state institutions as instruments of retaliation to serve its own interests.
The spokesperson further stated that Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha have stood alongside Baloch political activists, victims of enforced disappearances and their suffering families, providing them with legal assistance and amplifying their voices. The lengthy prison sentences imposed on them are an attempt to silence all those who refuse to bow to state repression.
The BNM strongly condemns this verdict and demands guarantees for the safety and protection of both Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha. The Movement calls on international institutions to intervene effectively to secure their release and ensure the protection of their fundamental legal and human rights, as well as those of other political prisoners.
