ISLAMABAD – Activist and lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband Hadi Ali Chattha were reportedly taken into police custody again shortly after their release from Adiala Jail, hours after the Supreme Court suspended their sentences and ordered that they be released on bail.
The development came on Thursday after a two-member Supreme Court bench, headed by Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and comprising Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim, accepted the couple’s appeals seeking suspension of their sentences. The court granted them bail against surety bonds of Rs200,000 each, pending the final decision of the Islamabad High Court.
The couple was released from Adiala Jail following the Supreme Court’s order, but police subsequently took them into custody and left the jail premises with them. The legal basis for the reported re-arrest was not immediately clear. It remains to be established whether the police action relates to another pending case, a separate detention order, or some other judicial or administrative direction.
Earlier today, Supreme Court revoked Iman Mazari and Chattha’s 17 years sentence in controversial tweets case. The convictions were recorded under multiple provisions of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), including provisions relating to glorification of an offence, cyberterrorism and false or fake information. The court also imposed substantial fines on both accused.
The couple had challenged their convictions and sought suspension of their sentences before the Islamabad High Court. Their case subsequently reached the Supreme Court after the IHC declined to suspend the sentences.
The court’s order provided for release against Rs200,000 surety bonds for each accused. The ruling temporarily halted the effect of the 17-year prison sentences but did not constitute a final acquittal.
The proceedings have attracted criticism from rights organisations and international legal bodies. International Commission of Jurists earlier said the convictions raised concerns regarding the prosecution and treatment of the two lawyers.
Imaan Mazari, husband get Relief as SC Suspends 17-Year Sentences in Tweets Case
