A Pakistani court has sentenced a lawyer couple to 17 years in prison each over social media posts authorities said were hostile to the state and its security institutions. Judge Afzal Majoka announced the verdict on Saturday, a day after Zainab Mazari and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, were arrested in Islamabad. According to court documents, the couple appeared briefly via video link but boycotted the hearing, prompting the court to conclude the trial and deliver the verdict. Family and friends denounced the ruling. Human rights activists in Pakistan have increasingly come under pressure from the government, restricting space for criticism and dissent.
