ISLAMABAD/KARACHI: The District and Sessions Court in Islamabad adjourned the controversial tweet case against lawyer Imaan Mazari and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, until December 15, as their petition seeking transfer of the case remains pending before the Islamabad High Court.
During Monday’s proceedings, Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka presided over the hearing, which was attended by the couple and their legal representatives. According to Mazari’s mother, former federal minister Shireen Mazari, a sentence was expected at today’s hearing, but the matter was deferred.
The couple has challenged the transparency of the trial, alleging procedural irregularities. Imaan Mazari reportedly told the judge during a previous hearing, with a smile, that she was “ready” to receive a seven-year sentence, prompting no immediate response from the court.
A formal petition contesting the Trial Court’s order was filed in the Islamabad High Court on December 1, citing concerns that witness statements and other proceedings were not being conducted in their presence.
Protests were held in Islamabad and Karachi in response to the adjournment, with participants organized by the Aurat March and the Karachi Bar Association. Demonstrators described the ongoing trial as “unfair” and demanded that the sentencing be paused until Mazari and Chattha are guaranteed a transparent process.
In Islamabad, the protest took place at G-11 Katcheri, while in Karachi, participants gathered outside the City Court.
The Islamabad Bar Association has also called the proceedings a violation of the defendants’ right to a fair trial. Social media posts by Aurat March highlighted multiple alleged procedural lapses during the past two weeks, including the forcible appointment of state counsel for the couple after their original lawyer withdrew.
The case, registered by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency, accuses Mazari and Chattha of sharing “anti-state” content on the social media platform X. Chattha was previously arrested outside the courtroom for failing to appear, although he claimed video evidence showed he had attended the proceedings.
Following his release, he alleged that an arrest warrant had been issued while he was present in court.
The controversy surrounding the case has drawn widespread attention from the legal fraternity. In addition to the protests, members of the Islamabad Bar, including District Bar President Naeem Gujar, former High Court Bar President Riyasat Ali Azad, and other lawyers, attended hearings and raised slogans demanding due process, at one point prompting the presiding judge to leave the courtroom.
With the hearing adjourned and the couple’s petition pending in the High Court, activists and lawyers continue to call for a fair trial and respect for procedural rights, emphasizing that the outcome will have implications for human rights defenders in Pakistan.
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