Today marks three years since the killing of prominent Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif who was fatally shot at close range by Kenyan police at a roadblock near Nairobi.
According to the authorities, police opened fire on the car Sharif was travelling in after allegedly mistaking it for a stolen vehicle they were pursuing. However, the two cars had different licence plates and bore little resemblance to one another. Kenyan and Pakistani autopsies, as well as a leaked report by a Pakistani fact-finding team, have all contested the ‘mistaken identity’ narrative.
In July last year, the High Court of Kenya at Kajiado ruled that Sharif’s killing was arbitrary and unlawful, condemning the authorities’ failure to conduct a prompt and independent investigation and ordering compensation for Javeria Siddique, his wife and fellow journalist. Siddique has campaigned tirelessly for justice in the wake of his death, despite facing malicious smear campaigns intended to discredit her and her work.
While the ruling was an important step, Media Defence urges the Kenyan authorities to ensure its full implementation. The case is currently pending before the Kenyan Supreme Court, delaying accountability. We also call on Pakistani authorities to continue the case pending before the Supreme Court in relation to the threats that forced Sharif to flee the country and examine allegations of Pakistani involvement in his death. Siddique should be protected from ongoing efforts to intimidate and silence her.
Media Defence is proud to stand alongside Javeria Siddique in her pursuit of justice for her late husband.
Impunity must not persist. To uphold freedom of expression and deliver justice owed to Sharif’s family, an impartial, effective and transparent investigation in line with international human rights standards needs to be expedited.
Read more about the High Court judgment.
Read more about Sharif’s case.
