Imaan Mazari-Hazir and her husband, Advocate Hadi Ali Chattah, both lawyers and human rights activists, are facing criminal proceedings related to controversial social media posts (tweets) they allegedly made.

The Core Charges

The case was registered by the National Cybercrime Investigation Agency (NCIA) under sections of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016 and the Pakistan Penal Code. The main allegations against the couple are:

Attempting to incite divisions on linguistic grounds through social media posts.

The prosecution cites tweets allegedly made between 2021 and 2025, primarily criticizing the defense role in counterterrorism operations, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings. The maximum sentence under PECA for these charges can be up to 14 years in prison.

The Current Legal Battle

The case is currently in the trial phase, where the couple has been formally indicted (charged) but pleaded not guilty. However, the proceedings have been marked by significant procedural disputes.

خبر کی مزید تفصیل جانئیےhttps://t.co/QzSQqhFRij #ImaanMazari #HadiChattha #LegalTrial #ContemptOfCourt pic.twitter.com/VDXYAqZb0P

— UrduPoint اردوپوائنٹ (@DailyUrduPoint) November 29, 2025

The defense team has objected to the appointment and subsequent withdrawal of a court-appointed lawyer (State Counsel), claiming they do not have confidence in him.

Imaan Mazari even stated that one State Counsel refused to cross-examine witnesses because he could not “ask questions dictated” to him.

The core of the recent hearings is the defense’s request to have the prosecution’s witnesses recalled so their own lawyers can conduct a proper cross-examination, arguing that previous legal representation was compromised.

Hadi Ali Chattah was previously arrested outside the courtroom for alleged “non-appearance,” an action his lawyers and he strongly contested, claiming he was present.

International legal bodies have also weighed in, condemning the “ongoing judicial harassment” and raising concerns about “procedural irregularities and apparent judicial bias.”

Intl legal bodies slam judicial harassment of Pakistani human rights lawyers https://t.co/kBOdhPw7t6 #ImaanMazari #HadiAliChattha #HumanRightsPakistan #JudicialHarassment #LegalAdvocacy #PakistanLaw #FairTrial #EnforcedDisappearances #ExtrajudicialKillings #LawyersForLawyers…

— HSBawa (@HSBawa_Official) November 30, 2025

In short, while the case is about controversial tweets, the current focus is on whether the trial is being conducted fairly and with due process, a concern raised by the defendants and international legal groups.

The core battle in court right now is about fair legal representation. Mazari’s team is fighting for the right to choose a lawyer they trust to properly cross-examine the prosecution’s witnesses, arguing that the pre-appointed State Counsel does not meet the necessary criteria or earn the defendants’ confidence.