On 16 June 2026, media reported that lawyers Imaan Zainab Mazari and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, have been awarded the 2026 Ludovic Trarieux International Human Rights Prize in recognition of their work for human rights and marginalised communities.
Imaan and Chattha are currently serving prison terms after a district and sessions court in Islamabad convicted them earlier this year in a case related to controversial social media posts and sentenced each of them to 17 years in prison. [https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2026/01/27/human-rights-lawyers-couple-imaan-mazari-and-hadi-ali-chattha-sentenced-to-jail-in-pakistan/]
For more on this award and its laureates, see: https://www.trueheroesfilms.org/thedigest/awards/7C413DBA-E6F6-425A-AF9E-E49AE17D7921
The statement noted that, in recent years, Imaan and Chattha had carried out their work “against a backdrop of growing pressure on lawyers and human rights defenders in Pakistan, according to international organisations and observers”.
“By awarding the 2026 Ludovic Trarieux International Human Rights Prize, the jury recognised the professional and personal contribution of Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha to the defence of the rule of law, fundamental freedoms and access to justice,” the statement said.
https://www.ludovictrarieux.org/uk-index.htm
Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards 