The Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) welcomes the Kenyan High Court’s ruling that declared the killing of Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif as “unlawful” and stresses the importance of a thorough and conclusive investigation into the killing of Sharif, including an investigation into the broader circumstances that led to his murder and reasons for his departure from Pakistan.
The verdict of the Kenyan court should provide the impetus for meaningful proceedings in the investigation and court proceedings.
Sharif, a prominent journalist with a successful career in Pakistan, including hosting popular shows on major networks — including ARY News, Dunya News, and Dawn News TV — and receiving the Presidential Pride of Performance Award in 2019, was shot dead by Kenyan police on October 23, 2022. After facing sedition charges in August 2022, he left Pakistan for the United Arab Emirates and subsequently moved to Kenya, where he was killed.
In a judgment issued on July 8, the Kenyan High Court ruled the incident as an unlawful killing and a breach of Sharif’s fundamental rights, ordering the Kenyan government to compensate his widow, Javeria Siddique, with 10 million Kenyan shillings (approximately Rs 21.7 million and 78,409.40 USD).
The court dismissed the police’s initial claim of mistaken identity, with Judge Stella Mutuku emphasizing that the use of lethal force was unconstitutional and violated Sharif’s right to life. In the ruling, Judge Mutuku has ordered Kenyan police and legal authorities to finalize their investigations into the case and to take necessary actions against those found culpable.
While the Kenyan court verdict is a significant step towards justice, PPF emphasizes the need for a deeper and more comprehensive investigation into the underlying reasons and circumstances that led to Sharif’s untimely death and the reasons surrounding his departure from Pakistan.
The judicial developments in Kenya coincide with continued inquiries in Pakistan, where Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif established a committee on October 26, 2022, to probe the murder. The committee, consisting of officials from Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency and Intelligence Bureau, traveled to Kenya and interacted with various stakeholders to gather evidence, including Sharif’s personal digital devices.
The Pakistani government’s fact-finding report, released on December 12, 2022, indicated that Sharif’s murder was “pre-planned” and highlighted discrepancies in the murder weapons and the injuries sustained by Sharif. This report was submitted to the Supreme Court as part of ongoing suo moto proceedings.
On World Press Freedom Day 2023, PPF posthumously conferred the 2023 Press Freedom Award to Sharif and urged authorities to conduct credible investigations into his murder and ensure that justice is served.
