Human rights lawyers Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, have filed a petition in Pakistan’s Supreme Court, urging an expedited hearing of their appeals against their conviction under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) for social media posts. The couple requested the court to accept their appeals and suspend the sentence until the criminal appeal pending before the Islamabad High Court is resolved.
In their plea to the Supreme Court, Mazari-Hazir and Chattha emphasized the need for prioritizing criminal matters, especially those involving bail or sentence suspension. They highlighted their 100-day imprisonment following what they termed a “sham trial” that led to their conviction. The petitioners, both young lawyers, expressed their last resort in approaching the Supreme Court after the Islamabad High Court failed to set a hearing date.
Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha were convicted by a district and sessions court in Islamabad in January, receiving 17-year prison sentences for social media posts. The court found them guilty under various sections of Peca, imposing fines and additional imprisonment terms for non-payment. The case, originating from posts on a social media platform deemed “anti-state,” was filed by the NCCIA under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016, alleging content aimed at undermining state institutions.
