Lawyer and husband boycott Islamabad court proceedings over ‘controversial tweet’ case
Lawyer and rights activist Imaan Mazari and her husband, lawyer Hadi Ali Chattha. PHOTO: EXPRESS
ISLAMABAD:
Human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari and her husband, lawyer Hadi Ali Chattha, were produced before a district and sessions court in Islamabad via video link on Saturday, where Mazari alleged mistreatment in detention and announced a boycott of the proceedings.
The hearing in the controversial tweet case was conducted by Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka. Initially, the judge asked the accused whether they would begin the cross-examination, pointing out that it was the last day of the cross-examination in light of the orders of the Islamabad High Court.
“Are the media present in court? Mazari asked during the hearing before asserting: “We are subjected to torture. We are not given food or water.”
Addressing the judge directly, she said: “You’re just doing your job” and added: “Everything that happens is because of you.” »
Mazari then announced: “We are boycotting the legal proceedings. »
The judge responded by asking: “You mean you don’t want to participate in the proceedings?” and told them to “wait for the decision.”
Before the hearing ended, Mazari and Chattha stood up and left their chairs while still on video communication. Justice Majoka ordered court staff to record the entire proceedings, saying: “Record everything and provide it to me.”
Earlier in the day, the court allowed Mazari and her husband to be produced via video link after police requested permission, citing security concerns and requiring five to six hours to ensure their physical production.
Also read: Lawyers Imaan and Hadi sent to 14-day remand by Islamabad ATC after their arrest
The hearing was held at the District and Sessions Courts in Islamabad, where Justice Majoka had earlier directed the SSP operations and the Deputy Director of the National Cybercrime Investigation Agency to ensure that the accused were produced before the court by 10 am. He had pointed out that Saturday was the last day for cross-examination as per the High Court order.
Police officials submitted their response at the hearing, saying that due to security concerns and other reasons, appearances via video link should be allowed.
Mazari and Chattha were arrested on Friday near the underpass in front of the Serena Hotel on their way to the district court. An anti-terrorism court then remanded them for 14 days.
Former human rights minister Shireen Mazari, Imaan’s mother, said in a post on
She then claimed they were “never even brought before the judge” and were kept in a vehicle and taken away to conceal their condition following what she described as violence during and after their arrest.
According to the FIR shared by Shireen Mazari, the case includes charges under several sections of the Pakistan Penal Code, the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act and the Anti-Terrorism Act. The case concerns a protest by lawyers against a session of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan on February 10 last year.
Journalists at the scene said police officers forcibly seized the cellphones of journalists covering the arrests. Journalist Asad Ali Toor said The Express PK Press Club he saw the police manhandle Mazari and severely beat her husband during his arrest.
Islamabad High Court Bar Association president Wajid Gilani and former senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokar also condemned the arrests, with Khokar saying the inclusion of terrorism charges following a peaceful protest “trivializes the anti-terrorism law.”
