Lawyers Imaan Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Chattha Seek Early Supreme Court Appeal Hearing
Lawyers Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha have filed a petition with Pakistan's Supreme Court, seeking an expedited hearing for their appeal. The appeal challenges a February 19 decision by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in a case concerning controversial social media posts. They were previously sentenced to 17 years in jail by an Islamabad sessions court on January 24 under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca), a sentence the IHC later declined to suspend.
Lawyers Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha have petitioned the Supreme Court (SC) in Pakistan, requesting an early hearing for their challenge against a February 19 Islamabad High Court (IHC) decision.
The case centers on controversial social media posts. On January 24, an Islamabad sessions court sentenced both Imaan and Hadi to a total of 17 years in jail. They faced multiple charges under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca).
In February, the IHC denied the lawyers’ request for the suspension of their 17-year sentences under Peca. The initial complaint was filed under Peca on August 12 by an NCCIA Islamabad assistant director before the Cybercrime Reporting Centre, FIA.
The complaint accused Imaan of disseminating and “propagating narratives that align with hostile terrorist groups and proscribed organisations,” while Hadi was implicated for reposting some of her content.
Filed through senior counsel Faisal Siddiqi, the new application to the SC on Wednesday sought the fixation of an earlier appeal challenging the sentence under Article 185(3) of the Constitution, requesting a hearing in the upcoming week.
The application highlighted that it is the Supreme Court's established policy to prioritize criminal matters, particularly those concerning bail or the suspension of sentences. It also referenced Section 7 of the SC (Practice and Procedure) Act 2023, which stipulates that urgent applications should be scheduled for a hearing within 14 days.
Imaan and Hadi have been incarcerated since their arrest in January, stemming from a separate case where they were accused of protesting outside the IHC and allegedly assaulting the IHC Bar Association (IHCBA) president. A sessions court delivered their 17-year sentence in the social media posts case a day after their arrest in the protest-related matter.
The couple had previously challenged their conviction by filing separate appeals in the IHC on February 7. On April 30, they filed another appeal in the SC, also seeking an early hearing of their pleas against their conviction.
(Source: Dawn Pakistan)
