Supreme Court suspends sentences in Pakistan political dissent case
Pakistan's Supreme Court has suspended the 10-year anti-terrorism court sentences for human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha.
An anti-terrorism court has sentenced human rights lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband Hadi Ali Chattha to 10 years in prison each. The sentences, handed down at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi on October 29, were accompanied by substantial fines under three sections of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca).
The court imposed the following penalties:
| Peca Section | Imprisonment | Fine | Additional Term for Unpaid Fine |
|---|---|---|---|
| Section 9 | 5 years | Rs5 million | 1 year |
| Section 10 | 10 years | Rs30 million | 2 years |
| Section 26-A | 2 years | Rs1 million | 6 months |
All sentences are to run concurrently. The couple was arrested on January 23 and had been in jail for over nine months prior to this sentencing.
Procedural Controversies
The trial faced intense criticism for its compressed timeline and procedural irregularities. The case, registered at Aabpara Police Station, alleged the couple disrupted an international cricket team's security route and incited public unrest in October 2024.
Charges were framed on October 7. The trial was shifted to Adiala Jail, where the couple was held in a cage, limiting communication with their lawyers. Seven prosecution witnesses were presented, with state counsel Atif Mahmood conducting cross-examinations. The defense argued that witness statements were recorded in a single day. The trial concluded with final arguments on October 27, and the verdict was reserved for two days later.
The couple's petition claimed the trial was initiated hastily without adequate preparation time. They argued that removing security barriers does not constitute terrorism and alleged the process aimed to harass them and subject them to political victimisation. Their lawyer, Aimal Mandokhail, requested a postponement of the verdict, citing pending petitions before the Supreme Court and Islamabad High Court. This request was denied.
Judicial Interventions
This sentencing follows a separate, earlier legal battle. In January, a sessions court sentenced the couple to a total of 17 years in prison for multiple charges related to social media posts deemed to promote an anti-state narrative under cybercrime laws.
That 17-year sentence was suspended by the Supreme Court on September 17, which ordered their release pending the Islamabad High Court's final verdict. However, they were rearrested the same day in connection with the security breach case that led to the current 10-year sentences. Police sought a 30-day physical remand, but the ATC judge rejected the request and ordered judicial remand, noting that while they were named in the FIR as members of an unlawful assembly, no weapon was attributed to either accused.
Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir has condemned the proceedings. "From day one, our constitutional rights to fair trial, due process and basic human dignity have been infringed," she said. The couple spent the third year of their marriage in jail and denied all charges in their statements recorded under Section 342 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
The legal team will now pursue sentence suspension through the Islamabad High Court pending final verdicts.
