No relief for Imaan Mazari, arrested again post bail

Human rights lawyer arrested from outside Adiala jail following relief granted by ATC

ISLAMABAD:

Hours after human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari was granted bail by an anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Monday, the Islamabad police arrested Imaan again from outside the Adiala jail.

Taking to the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, the Islamabad police confirmed Imaan's arrest. They said that the lawyer was arrested on a first information report (FIR) registered at the Bara Kahu police station under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA).

ایمان مزاری کو تھانہ بھارہ کہو میں درج مقدمہ میں گرفتار کرلیا گیا ہے۔

ایمان مزاری کے خلاف انسداد دہشت گردی ایکٹ کے تحت مقدمہ درج ہے۔#ICTP

— Islamabad Police (@ICT_Police) August 28, 2023

However, digital rights activist Usama Khilji claimed that the FIR was "not shared with her [Imaan's] lawyers present" outside the jail.

Islamabad Police arrested @ImaanZHazir again, outside Adiala Jail after ATC granted bail this morning, can be seen here taking her in a Police van based on an FIR filed in Bara Kahu. FIR still not shared with her lawyers present there. #ReleaseImaanMazari pic.twitter.com/uaX6QslLLh

— Usama Khilji (@UsamaKhilji) August 28, 2023

Earlier today, Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) leader and former lawmaker Ali Wazir and Advocate Imaan were granted bail by an Islamabad ATC.

On Aug 19, two first information reports (FIR) were registered against Imaan and Wazir, at the Tarnol police station and the Counter-Terrorism Department police station, following a rally of the PTM in the federal capital. Both were booked on charges of sedition, preventing government officials from carrying out their duties and damaging public property.

Subsequently, the two had been sent on 14-day judicial remand in a sedition case related to the controversial speech against the state institutions.

Imaan Mazari had earlier secured bail in the second case - related to damaging government property and interfering in the affairs of the state during a protest that was held on August 18 - as well after a local judge accepted her application.

Read Ali Wazir released after 26 months

However, the judicial magistrate remanded former lawmaker Ali Wazir.

During the proceedings of the sedition case today, prosecutor requested ATC Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain to grant an extension in the accused's remand.

The transcript of Imaan's speech at the rally was also read out during the hearing.

Opposing the request for bail, the prosecutor further argued that the report of the USB was still awaited and the forensics of the event still had to be done.

However, the court accepted both the lawyer as well as PTM leader's bail in exchange of Rs30,000 each.