In the case of removing a security barrier from the road, Iman Mazari and Hadi Chattha were sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment each and a fine.
In a case registered under charges of removing security barriers from the road and interfering in official matters, the Anti-Terrorism Court of the federal capital Islamabad has sentenced human rights lawyer Iman Mazari, who pursues cases of enforced disappearances in Pakistan, and her husband Hadi Ali Chattha, to ten years’ imprisonment each.
Anti-Terrorism Court Judge Tahir Abbas Supra announced the verdict in Adiala Jail. The court sentenced both lawyers under three different sections.
On Thursday, the Anti-Terrorism Court in Rawalpindi, in a case of removing a barrier and interfering in official matters, sentenced lawyers Iman Mazari and her husband Hadi Ali Chattha to a total of 10 years’ imprisonment each and a fine of two hundred thousand rupees each.
Last Tuesday (October 27), during a hearing held at Adiala Jail, Iman Mazari and Hadi Chattha recorded their statements in this case under Section 342 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. In her statement, Iman Mazari said that she was recording her statement in this case as a protest.
In her statement, Iman Mazari said that on the day of the incident, she was going to the Anti-Terrorism Court to pursue a case where she had to arrive within fifteen minutes; however, a route had been set for a foreign cricket team that was on a tour of Pakistan, and the police had blocked the road. According to her, the police personnel had said that the foreign cricket team had already reached the stadium via an alternative route. In her statement, she claimed that the police did not have any written order from a magistrate to close the road, and the prosecution also could not produce any such order during the trial.
Iman Mazari said that after waiting for about 15 minutes, she requested the police personnel to open the road because the constitutional rights of citizens to freedom of movement were being affected. Iman Mazari said that she had only told the police personnel deployed there that the road is not anyone’s personal property.
While recording her statement, she said that if removing the barrier posed a threat to security, then why did the police personnel deployed there not stop the motorcyclists passing through there.
She had accused the prosecution of deliberately hiding video evidence, saying that ‘this would have exposed their lies. Iman Mazari had claimed that a police officer in plain clothes threw an iron rod at her, injuring her. Iman Mazari claimed that in this situation, her husband adopted a defensive strategy to protect her from being assaulted and from any harm. She said that PIMS Hospital has also submitted a report to the court about her injuries.
Iman Mazari said that if she or her husband had attacked the police personnel, then a record of any personnel being injured should also have been presented in court; however no such evidence exists.
She said that the police personnel had also apologised to her for their behaviour. Iman Mazari had alleged that the case related to this incident was kept hidden for a long time. She said that after her arrest in this case, her remand was suspended by the Islamabad High Court, but despite that, according to Iman Mazari, [the police] continued their proceedings.
Iman Mazari had further claimed that all witnesses against her are police personnel, while no independent or private witness was presented.
She argued that all cases filed against her were registered because she pursues cases of enforced disappearances, works for human rights, and provides free legal services.
In her statement, she claimed that despite getting bail from the Supreme Court, she was re-arrested from inside Adiala Jail and subjected to torture. According to Iman Mazari, she and her husband were tried while being kept in a cage and were not even given access to lawyers.
In his statement, Hadi Ali Chattha, endorsing Iman Mazari’s stance, said that on the day of the incident, the police personnel themselves had admitted that the road was closed only for 15 minutes. He alleged that a police officer attacked his wife, after which he took retaliatory action in defense of his wife. He had claimed that the medical report from PIMS Hospital confirms the injuries sustained by his wife and the police torture.
He had claimed that after the Islamabad High Court suspended the judicial remand, all investigative proceedings, including forensic and voice messaging, were conducted illegally. Hadi Ali Chattha had further said that witnesses’ statements were recorded in his absence. He said that he has challenged the appointment of state counsel in this case in the Islamabad High Court.
Iman Mazari and her husband were accused of interfering in official matters and assaulting police personnel by removing barriers placed at Zero Point in Islamabad during the Rawalpindi Test between England and Pakistan on October 25, 2024. Iman and Hadi deny these charges.
Anti-Terrorism Court Judge Tahir Abbas Supra announced the verdict in Adiala Jail. The court sentenced both lawyers under three different sections.
According to the court order, under the terrorism section both were sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment each and a fine of one hundred thousand rupees each, while under Section 353, two years’ imprisonment each and a fine of fifty thousand rupees each were imposed.
Similarly, under Section 186, a sentence of one year’s imprisonment each and a fine of fifty thousand rupees each was handed down.
The total sentence under all three sections amounts to 13 years’ imprisonment; however, giving the benefit of Section 382 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the court ordered the sentences to run concurrently, as a result of which both will have to serve 10 years imprisonment each.
Before the verdict, the court had reserved its judgment after completion of arguments from both sides. Charges were framed against Iman Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha on October 7. After both lawyers pleaded not guilty, a formal trial began.
In the case, the court had appointed State Counsel Atif Mahmood, who cross-examined the prosecution witnesses. A total of seven witnesses were presented by the prosecution.
This case against Iman Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha was registered on October 25, 2024, and both were on bail in this case. This case against Iman Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha was registered on October 25, 2024, and both were on bail in this case. This case against Iman Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha was registered on October 25, 2024, and both were on bail in this case.
By- Laiba yousafzai
