On Friday, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) instructed authorities to present lawyer and human rights activist Imaan Mazari along with her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, through a video link in connection with a case registered at the Secretariat police station.
ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Supra was presiding over the matter involving Mazari and Chattha. Although the court had summoned both individuals to appear in person on Friday, Adiala jail officials failed to produce them before the court. Consequently, the judge adjourned the hearing until Saturday and ordered the jail authorities to ensure their appearance via video link. He emphasized, “I am fixing the case for tomorrow. Both should be produced through video link.”
In a significant development last week, Mazari and her husband were arrested and sent back to Adiala jail on judicial remand by the ATC, only hours after the Supreme Court had suspended their sentences and granted them bail in a separate case. The couple’s arrest relates to charges including promoting an anti-state narrative, incitement, and interference in government affairs.
Notably, on the same day as their arrest, the Supreme Court stayed their sentences in a case involving controversial tweets and granted bail against surety bonds of Rs200,000 each. This bail remains effective until the Islamabad High Court delivers a final verdict on the matter.
Earlier, in January, an Islamabad district and sessions court sentenced Mazari and Chattha to 17 years in prison under various sections of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), just one day after their arrest in another case. They subsequently challenged this sentence in the Islamabad High Court in early February.
The couple was originally booked by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency under Sections 9, 10, 11, and 26 of PECA. The FIR alleges that they attempted to incite divisions on linguistic grounds through social media posts.
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