Imaan Mazari, human rights lawyer and social activist, and her husband Hadi Ali Chattha. Photo file
A district and sessions court in Islamabad has indicted lawyer and activist Imaan Mazari and her husband, Hadi Ali Chatha, in a case related to a controversial tweet, with both pleading not guilty to the charges.
Justice Muhammad Afzal Majoka presided over the hearing. The court summoned all prosecution witnesses for the next hearing and ordered Hadi Ali Chatha to submit new bail bonds.
Chatha, however, refused to comply, saying: “I will not post bail. If you want to jail me for a year, go ahead. You acted illegally yesterday and you are not fit to be a judge.”
Yesterday, the National Cybercrime Investigation Agency arrested Hadi Ali Chatha in Islamabad after a local court issued non-bailable arrest warrants against him for failing to appear for the hearing of a case.
Read: Imaan Mazari’s husband arrested in ‘controversial’ tweet case
During the proceedings, Imaan Mazari said: “You want to have us arrested; please also cancel my deposit.”
Justice Majoka replied: “My principle is that if I respect you, I expect the same in return.”
Defense lawyer Qaiser Imam argued that the accused had appeared in court several times in other cases, including in the High Court and in Rawalpindi. The judge noted that the hearings had already been postponed three times at the request of the defense.
The court adjourned the case until November 5, ordering witnesses to appear at the next hearing.
The accusations against them focus on tweets posted by Imaan on X, which were described as controversial and anti-state. Chatha was included in the investigation for retweeting the said messages.
Learn more: Imaan Mazari and Hadi Chattha’s bail extended in alleged assault case
In another case, the anti-terrorism court extended the interim bail of Imaan Mazari, Hadi Ali Chatha and other lawyers in a case involving an alleged altercation and assault on High Court Bar President Wajid Gilani.
The defendant’s lawyers were unable to present their arguments during the hearing, following which the court ordered the investigator to complete further investigation.
The court ordered the parties’ lawyers to present their arguments in the next hearing and adjourned the matter to November 3.
A case was registered against Iman Mazari and others at the Secretariat Police Station.
