Imaan Mazari, spouse move IHC against tweets case verdict

• Petitioners seek suspension of sentences, bail pending appeal.
• Case stems from FIR over divisive social media posts.
• Earlier, couple sought transfer of case from Judge Majoka's court.

ISLAMABAD: Lawyer and activist Imaan Mazari and her husband, Advocate Hadi Ali Chattha on Saturday challenged their convictions in the controversial tweets case in the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

Last month, a district and sessions court sentenced the couple to a total of 17 years in prison each under different sections of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca).

Additional Sessions Judge Afzal Majoka had authored the 22-page verdict.

In the separate pleas filed against the trial court's decision today, the petitioners maintained that their convictions were the result of a "patently illegal and arbitrary trial".

The couple also sought suspension of their sentences and release on bail pending the final decision of the main appeal.

"Grant any other relief deemed just and proper in the circumstances of the case," read the petition.

Mazari and Chattha had been booked in a case registered by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) under Sections 9, 10, 11 and 26 of the Peca and were subsequently indicted on October 30.

The first information report (FIR) alleged that the couple attempted to incite divisions on linguistic grounds through social media posts.

Mazari and Chattha had also filed an application in the IHC, expressing distrust in Judge Majoka and seeking the transfer of the controversial tweets case to another court.