IHC postpones Imaan, Hadi sentence suspension pleas to Sept 23

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday adjourned the hearing of petitions seeking suspension of the sentences awarded to lawyer and rights activist Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, in a social media posts case.

Justice Muhammad Azam Khan heard the petitions. Lawyers Faisal Siddiqui, Riasat Ali Azad, Zainab Janjua and others appeared on behalf of the couple.

The court was informed that the prosecutor from the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) was unavailable. Due to the prosecutor’s absence, the court could not make significant progress in the matter. The hearing was subsequently adjourned until September 23.

Imaan and Hadi have been in jail since their arrest on January 23 in a separate case related to a protest outside the IHC. They were accused of manhandling the president of the IHC Bar Association during the protest. Their arrest drew criticism from rights organisations, politicians and journalists, who called for their right to a fair trial.

A sessions court later sentenced the couple to a combined 17 years in prison in the social media posts case under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca). The sentences included 10 years under Section 10 for cyber terrorism, five years under Section 9 for glorification of an offence and two years under Section 26-A for false and fake information.

The case originated from a complaint filed in August 2025 by an NCCIA investigating officer in Islamabad. The complaint accused Imaan of spreading and promoting narratives allegedly associated with hostile terrorist groups and proscribed organisations, while Hadi was accused of reposting some of her social media posts.

The couple challenged their convictions before the IHC on February 7. The high court later admitted their appeals and issued notices to the respondents regarding their applications seeking suspension of the sentences.

On May 12, the Supreme Court directed the IHC to decide the sentence suspension pleas within two weeks. The deadline expired on May 26, after which the NCCIA challenged the Supreme Court’s order and sought its withdrawal.

In July, the IHC declared the couple’s applications for suspension of their sentences admissible, clearing the way for the proceedings. Imaan and Hadi subsequently requested an early hearing of their pleas.