Family, legal team of Imaan and Hadi voice concerns over medical facilities at Adiala jail

The families and legal representatives of Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chatta, two incarcerated lawyers and human rights activists, have expressed concerns regarding the medical provisions at Adiala jail. On January 24, a session court in Islamabad handed them 17 years in prison for various charges under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca). Legal experts and the United Nations (UN) criticized these convictions, prompting the couple to contest them before the Islamabad High Court on February 7.

In a recent statement, the family and legal team reported that Imaan has been grappling with health issues for three weeks, starting with heavy bleeding from her gums, for which no dentist was available at the jail. She also experienced stomach problems, and her medical care remained insufficient. More recently, she developed a severe chest infection.

Diagnostic tests revealed a high white blood cell count, suggesting an infection. However, the jail authorities have yet to arrange a chest X-ray to identify the cause of the infection and rule out serious conditions like tuberculosis.

The family and legal team are alarmed by the inadequate medical care at Adiala jail, particularly concerning the co-location of women prisoners with infectious diseases and children. They argue that this practice jeopardizes the health of all detainees. They stress the urgency of their applications for a suspended sentence, urging jail authorities and the government to arrange Imaan’s chest X-ray promptly and provide essential medical services, such as dental care, to all women inmates.

They also advocate for isolating or quarantining individuals with infectious diseases to protect the health of others, ensuring access to specialist doctors and necessary medications for all detainees, and not opposing the applications for sentence suspension filed by Imaan and Hadi, which are set to be heard by the IHC on September 8, 2026.