Lawyer and human rights activist Imaan Mazari and her husband, lawyer Hadi Ali Chattha. PHOTO: EXPRESS
ISLAMABAD:
Human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, have filed an appeal in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) challenging their verdict in a case related to controversial social media posts.
In the petition, the couple asked the high court to declare the high court’s January 24 verdict null and void, suspend the conviction and grant them bail.
The appeal contends that the trial court failed to meet legal requirements and rendered its judgment even though a transfer petition was pending before the IHC. It states that a judgment cannot legally be entered while such a petition is pending.
Read: Islamabad court sentences Imaan, Hadi to 17 years in prison in social media posting case
The petition further claims that the trial court curtailed the right to defense and did not ensure transparency during the proceedings. It says that when a public prosecutor complained that questions had been shared in advance, the court did not order any investigation into the matter.
The appeal also alleges that violence was used during the arrest when the couple was brought before the High Court. It claims the court did not investigate allegations of abuse during their appearance through a video link and questions how cross-examination could be properly conducted from prison without access to case files.
On January 24, a district and sessions court in Islamabad convicted Mazari and Chattha in the case and sentenced them to 17 years in prison.
Read more: Lawyers observe strike over Imaan, spouse’s verdict
The case centers on alleged posts and reposts on X, formerly Twitter, which authorities have described as “anti-state”. The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) registered the case last August under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016, claiming the content was intended to incite divisions and portray government institutions negatively.
The verdict has attracted international attention. Amnesty International issued an urgent appeal to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on 2 February calling for the couple’s immediate and unconditional release.
On February 4, UN experts also expressed alarm at the verdict. Five UN special rapporteurs said the pair had been sentenced to long prison terms for “simply exercising rights guaranteed by international human rights law”.
