Islamabad: The Islamabad High Court has fixed June 1 to hear the applications for suspension of sentence filed by human rights lawyers Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha in the social media posts case.
Justice Muhammad Azam Khan issued a one-page written order after a certified copy of the Supreme Court’s May 12 order was submitted to the court. Previously, the Supreme Court had directed the IHC to decide the couple’s pleas for suspension of sentence within two weeks.
The IHC had earlier issued notices to officials of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency on applications seeking an expedited hearing of the petitions. In addition, the court objected to the failure to submit certified copies of the Supreme Court order. It directed the defence to file them through the court office.
The registrar’s office issued the cause list for the June 1 hearing after the certified copy was placed on record.
Imaan and Hadi have been in jail since their arrest in January in a case linked to a protest outside the IHC. There were also allegations of manhandling the president of the Islamabad High Court Bar Association.
A sessions court later sentenced them to 17 years in prison in the social media posts case. The complaint was filed by an NCCIA Islamabad assistant director before the Cybercrime Reporting Centre, FIA. It was filed under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016.
Read: Iman Mazari Sentence Suspension Pleas Sent Back To IHC
The complaint accused Imaan of spreading narratives allegedly aligned with hostile terrorist groups and proscribed organisations. Hadi was implicated for reposting some of her posts.
The sessions court sentenced the two under PECA provisions covering cyber terrorism. It also included the glorification of an offence and the dissemination of false or fake information.
