Social media posts case: Mazari, Hadi handed 17-year jail term each

ISLAMABAD: A local court on Saturday sentenced human rights lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari and her husband, Advocate Hadi Ali Chattha, to a combined 17 years’ imprisonment each in a controversial case related to social media posts.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka announced the reserved 22 pages verdict in a case registered under Sections 9 (glorification of an offence), 10 (cyber-terrorism), 11 (hate speech) and 26-A (false and fake information) of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), 2016 against the couple.

According to the written judgment, the prosecution successfully proved charges against both accused under Section 9 of PECA, for which they were sentenced to five years’ rigorous imprisonment each along with a fine of Rs5 million.

It says that the convicts are also convicted under Section 10 of the PECA and are sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for 10 years each with a fine with an additional two years for each in case of default.The judgment further says that the convicts are also convicted under section 26-A of the PECA and are sentenced to two years rigorous imprisonment each with a fine of Rs 1 million with an additional six months for each in case of default.

The court order says that as for the offence under Section 11 of PECA is concerned, none of the witnesses claimed that the accused persons through hate speech tried to advance inter faith, sectarian or racial hatred so, both the accused persons are acquitted of the charge under Section 11 of PECA.

The convicts are present in custody in some other case on video link. They be kept in jail to undergo their sentences. Benefit of section 382-B Cr.P.C is extended to the convicts.

In his judgment, Judge Majoka recalled Sub-inspector Sharooz Riaz’s August 2025 complaint that Imaan “consistently disseminated highly offensive, misleading and anti-state contents on social media”, with the “active connivance” of Hadi.

“She propagated a narrative that aligned with hostile terrorist groups and proscribed organisations and individuals. Her contents incited ethnic hatred, undermined public trust on state organisations and portrayed the armed forces are behind terrorism and forced disappearances.”

The order observed that Imaan’s tweets made between 2021 and 2025 from “portrayed the agenda” of the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Judge stated: “Both the accused persons are advocates by profession and they have fully knowledge that the Pakistan is not included in the list of terrorist states but they have intentionally in their tweets mentioned the Pakistan as a terrorist state, which in fact is the agenda of BLA, TTP.”

“Both the accused persons portrayed the armed forces as being responsible for the act of terrorism in the country and alleged that the state and its institutions are working in collusion with the proscribed individuals and organisations,” the judgment read.

The order further noted, “During the course of inquiry, it came to light that accused persons are involved in propagation and dissemination of narrative aligned with the proscribed individuals/organisations.

The judgment referred to five prosecution witnesses produced before the court, including National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) Reporting Centre Assistant Director Imran Haider and Riaz.

While mentioning the posts on X made by Imaan in favour of Mahrang or the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), the order noted that several of them had been reposted by Hadi.

The judge stressed that glorification has been defined in Peca as including “any form of praise or celebration” of proscribed organisations or individuals or groups.

“The said tweets of the accused persons damaged public trust in state institutions, especially law-enforcement agencies and the armed forces, and blamed the state for terrorism and enforced disappearances,” the order stated.

“The matter does not rest here. Imaan Zainab Mazari accused claimed that the state runs torture cells and that dehumanisation, alienation and uncalled for crackdown/ violence are the state-standard response to peaceful Baloch voice,” it further highlighted, declaring her as guilty under Section 10 of Peca, it says.

The court earlier, reserved its order in controversial tweet case against jailed human rights lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari and her husband, Advocate Hadi Ali Chattha after the couple boycotted the proceedings of the case via video link.

During the hearing, the court sought compliance with earlier directions regarding the production of the accused for cross-examination, which the court had declared as the final opportunity in light of orders issued by the Islamabad High Court (IHC). At the start of the hearing police citing security concerns presented submitted a report before the court that they would require five to six hours to transport the accused from jail and requested the court to allow them to produce the accused through a video link. The court accepted the request and directed that Imaan and Hadi be presented via video link.

Imaan and Chattha who arrested by police on January 23 on their way to Federal Judicial Complex (FJC) for appearing before the court in controversial tweet case, briefly appeared via video link before the court.

During the hearing, the court sought compliance with earlier directions regarding the production of the accused for cross-examination, which the court had declared as the final opportunity in light of orders issued by the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

The proceedings were delayed due technical issues, including internet connectivity problems at Adiala jail. After a short break, Imaan and Hadi briefly appeared before the court via video link. During the hearing, when the judge questioned whether the accused wished to start cross-examination, Imaan asked whether media persons were present in the courtroom.

She then alleged that both she and her husband were being subjected to mistreatment in jail, adding that they were not being provided food or water.

Imaan addressed the judge directly, saying, you are doing your job, everything is happening because of you.

Imaan then announced that both she and her husband were boycotting the proceedings.

The judge then asked whether they no longer wanted to participate in the trial and advised them to wait for the verdict. Despite this, both the accused left their seats before the end of the hearing. After thy boycott of the accused, the judge directed the court staff to record the entire proceedings and place them on the judicial record.

Defence counsel Ashraf Gujjar later moved a request for summoning a person relevant to the case. The judge noted that the individual had already appeared online and stated that the entire record would be reviewed.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026