Geneva, Feb. 4 -- UN experts on Wednesday expressed alarm at the conviction of lawyers and human rights defenders Imaan Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha on multiple criminal charges, which resulted in lengthy prison sentences, for simply exercising rights guaranteed by international human rights law, as per a statement by the Special Procedures United Nations Human Rights Council.

The statement said, "Lawyers, like other individuals, are entitled to freedom of expression. The exercise of this right should never be conflated with criminal conduct, especially not terrorism," the experts said, emphasising the broad and vague definition of terrorism-related offences under Pakistan's counter-terrorism framework.

"Doing so risks undermining ...