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Court suspends remand order against Pakistani lawyer, husband

IHC suspends 3-day physical remand against Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha, ordering police to respond within a day

Court suspends remand order against Pakistani lawyer, husband
Pakistani rights lawyer Imaan Mazari makes a victory sign from a prison van escorting her to an anti-terrorism court in Islamabad, on October 29, 2024/
Nukta

A Pakistani court suspended on Wednesday a three-day physical remand order for lawyer and human rights activist Imaan Mazari and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, who were arrested for allegedly breaching a security route set up for the England cricket team.

The incident occurred on Oct. 25 at the Zero Point interchange as the England team traveled to the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium for the final Test match.

Islamabad Police detained Mazari and Chattha, citing a complaint that accused the couple of confronting traffic officers and attempting to remove barricades.

A day earlier, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Islamabad approved a three-day physical remand for Mazari and Chattha.

However, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) suspended the order today during a hearing presided over by Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz.

The court acknowledged the appeal presented by defense attorney Qaiser Imam, who argued against the necessity of the remand.

During the session, IHC Chief Justice Farooq instructed the police to submit an explanation regarding the grounds of the remand. The court issued an official notice to law enforcement, requesting a detailed response by Thursday.

Meanwhile, Amnesty International also criticized the detention of Mazari and Chattha. “The arrest and continued detention of human rights lawyers Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali under anti-terrorism laws is a violation of their rights to due process and yet another example of the abuse of the Anti-Terrorism Act,” it said in a statement.

“Charges of terrorism are not commensurate with any offenses the lawyers are alleged to have committed. Such action by the authorities is excessive, disproportionate and in violation of Pakistan’s obligations under international law.”

It said that Mazari and Chattha were detained on October 28 and informed of the charges 24 hours after being arrested, adding that Mazari was also previously arrested and charged for her participation and speech at a Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) rally in August 2023.

“The disproportionate charges, particularly related to terrorism, must be dropped immediately, and the authorities must ensure their right to a fair trial under international human rights law, including unrestricted access to legal counsel,” it concluded.

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