Imaan, Hadi get relief as SC suspends sentence in social media posts case

The Supreme Court on Thursday granted bail to human rights lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, and suspended the sentences handed to them in a case pertaining to their social media posts.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim heard their appeals against the Islamabad High Court’s decision in February, when it declined to suspend their sentences.

The couple was ordered to be released on bail against surety bonds of Rs200,000 each. The bail will remain in place until the Islamabad High Court gives its final decision on their appeals.

Imaan and Hadi have been behind bars since January 23, when they were arrested in a separate case registered over their protest outside the IHC. Their arrests drew criticism from rights organisations, politicians and journalists, who raised concerns about their right to a fair trial.

The following day, an Islamabad sessions court convicted the couple in the social media posts case. On January 24, the court sentenced each of them under multiple provisions of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca).

The sentences included 10 years in prison under Section 10 for cyber terrorism, five years under Section 9 for glorification of an offence and two years under Section 26-A for transmitting false and fake information. Together, the sentences amounted to 17 years.

The couple subsequently challenged the sentences before the Islamabad High Court, which refused to suspend them in February, prompting their appeals before the Supreme Court.