Court frames charges against Imaan Mazari, husband in tweet case

ISLAMABAD: A district and sessions court in the federal capital on Tuesday framed charges against human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, in the so-called tweet case, formally setting their trial in motion.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka read out the charges in court and directed the defence to apply for a certified copy through due process.

Neither Mazari nor Chattha were present in the courtroom at the time of indictment. Their assisting counsel informed the judge that both had earlier attended proceedings but had left for a separate hearing in Rawalpindi.

The charge sheet runs seven pages and includes the text of tweets allegedly authored by Mazari. It lists four prosecution witnesses — Sub-Inspector Shehroz Riaz, Waseem Khan, Technical Assistant Anees Rehman, and Assistant Director Imran Haider — all of whom are serving with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA).

The court adjourned proceedings until later in the day, summoning the witnesses for testimony.