SC suspends Imaan, Hadi's sentences in controversial social media posts case, orders their release

On Thursday, the Supreme Court of Pakistan suspended the sentences of human rights lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her spouse, Hadi Ali Chattha, in a controversial social media posts case. This decision was made by a two-judge bench consisting of Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim. The couple had been sentenced to a total of 17 years in jail on multiple charges under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) on January 24.

Imaan and Hadi were already incarcerated prior to this verdict. The sentences drew widespread condemnation from lawyers and United Nations (UN) experts. The SC ordered the couple's release after granting them bail against surety bonds of Rs200,000, pending the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) final verdict. Justice Afghan noted the couple's status as lawyers and emphasized the importance of maintaining their dignity.

Senior counsel Faisal Siddiqui, representing the couple, was directed to remind the appellants to adhere to court decorum. The SC had previously instructed the IHC to decide the petition for suspension of sentence expeditiously, ideally within two weeks. During the hearing, the court directed the Additional Attorney General, Rana Asadullah Khan, to take a seat and emphasized that the couple's lawyer would be heard first.

Imaan and Hadi were arrested on January 23 for protesting outside the IHC and allegedly roughing up the IHC Bar Association (IHCBA) president. This incident sparked criticism from rights bodies, politicians, and journalists, all of whom advocated for the couple's right to a fair trial. The same day, the couple was convicted in the social media posts case by a sessions court, which sentenced them to 10 years' imprisonment under Section 10 (cyber terrorism), five years' imprisonment under Section 9 (glorification of an offence), and two years' imprisonment under Section 26-A (false and fake information) of the Peca.

The charges stemmed from a complaint filed on August 12, 2025, by the assistant director of the National Counterterrorism Agency (NCCIA) in Islamabad. The complaint alleged that Imaan disseminated narratives supporting hostile terrorist groups and proscribed organizations, while Hadi was charged for reposting her posts. The couple was indicted on October 30, 2025, and warrants for their arrest were reissued on November 5 after repeated non-appearances.