ISLAMABAD, Jan 24 (ABC): A sessions court in Islamabad on Saturday sentenced lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband Hadi Ali Chattha to a combined 17 years in prison in a case linked to social media posts.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka convicted the couple under Sections 9, 10 and 26-A of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA). The court announced the verdict a day after their arrest in a separate case. Authorities later sent both to Adiala Jail on judicial remand.
Appearance through video link
Police produced Mazari and Chattha before the court through a video link earlier in the day. They cited security risks and travel constraints as reasons for not bringing them in person from jail.
Technical problems at Adiala Jail delayed the hearing for some time. The proceedings resumed once the video link was restored.
Boycott of court proceedings
When the court asked the defence to begin cross-examination, Mazari questioned whether journalists were present in the courtroom. She also told the judge that jail staff were mistreating her and her husband.
Mazari said authorities had denied them food and water in custody. She then told the judge that he was “doing his job” and announced a boycott of the hearing.
The judge asked whether they still wished to take part in the trial and advised them to wait for the verdict. Both accused left their seats before the hearing ended. The court then ordered staff to record the entire proceeding and add it to the official record.
Defence plea and court response
Defence lawyer Ashraf Gujjar later requested the court to summon a person linked to the case. Judge Majoka said the person had already appeared online during earlier proceedings.
He added that the court would review the full record before deciding on the request. The judge reserved a written order while the trial process continued.
Reaction from rights groups
The arrests and convictions triggered strong reactions from rights organisations, politicians and journalists. Many raised concerns over due process and fair trial guarantees.
Amnesty International called the cases retaliatory and said they aimed to silence dissent. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan also criticised the proceedings and described them as harassment.
Case background
The case began with a complaint filed on August 12, 2025, at the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency in Islamabad. Investigators accused the couple of sharing controversial content on social media.
The court indicted Mazari and Chattha on October 30 last year. On January 16, the judge cancelled their interim bail due to repeated absences and issued arrest warrants. The couple later challenged the orders before the Islamabad High Court.
The FIR accused Mazari of promoting narratives linked to banned militant groups. Investigators accused Chattha of reposting some of the content. The complaint said the posts blamed security forces for enforced disappearances in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
It also alleged that the posts portrayed the armed forces as ineffective against groups such as the Balochistan Liberation Army and the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan.
Other related cases
Another case from July 2025 relates to a protest organised by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee. In that matter, the Islamabad High Court granted the couple pre-arrest bail.
Earlier this week, an anti-terrorism court rejected their pre-arrest bail pleas in a separate case over a scuffle outside the Islamabad High Court in September 2025. Authorities arrested them on Friday in connection with the same case.