Islamabad, April 30 (IANS) Human rights lawyers Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, on Thursday filed a petition in Pakistan's Supreme Court, requesting an early hearing of their appeals against their conviction under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) in the social media posts case, local media reported.

In the application filed in the Supreme Court, Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha have requested the grant of leave to appeal against the Islamabad High Court (IHC) order issued on February 17. The IHC in February had admitted the appeal against the trial court's judgement, Pakistan's leading daily Dawn reported. The court had issued notices to the respondents on the application for the suspension of sentence, however, it had not suspended the sentence.

In the fresh application filed in the Supreme Court, the human rights lawyers have requested for fixing the appeals preferably in the week starting on February 4. They have requested the court to accept the appeals and the suspension of the sentence awarded to the petitioners through the impugned judgement till the disposal of the criminal appeal pending before the IHC.

The petitions stated that it was the Supreme Court's policy that criminal matters should be prioritised, especially when they relate to bail or suspension of sentence. In the application, the petitioners stated that they had no other option left other than approaching the Supreme Court as the IHC had not fixed any date for the hearing.

The application stated that the petitioners, Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha were young lawyers who have remained in prison for around 100 days in a case where conviction was the result of a "sham trial."

Earlier in January, a district and sessions court in Islamabad convicted Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha and sentenced them to 17-year prison terms in a case linked to social media posts, Pakistan's another leading daily 'The Express Tribune' reported.

The court convicted both accused under Section 9 of Peca and sentenced them to five years of imprisonment each and a fine of Pakistani Rupees (PKR) five million each. If the couple fails to pay the fine, they would be required to undergo one year of simple imprisonment.

The court also convicted them under Section 10 of Peca and handed them 10 years of imprisonment each and a fine of PKR 30 million each. Failure to pay the fine would result in the couple having to undergo an additional two years of simple imprisonment.

Separately, the two were also convicted under Section 26-A of Peca and sentenced them to two years of imprisonment each and a fine of PKR one million each. In case they fail to pay the fine, they would have to undergo six months of simple imprisonment, The Express Tribune reported.

The case is related to posts and reposts on social media platform X which authorities have termed as “anti-state”. The NCCIA had lodged case against the couple in August last year under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016, alleging that the content was aimed to create divisions and showcase state institutions negatively.

--IANS

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