On July 8, the Kenyan High Court sitting in Kajiado, Kenya, ruled that the killing of Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif by Kenyan law enforcement in 2022 was unlawful. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), along with its member organisations the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and the Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ), welcomed the ruling and urged authorities to ensure that those responsible are held accountable.
The ruling comes after nearly two years of advocacy by one of Sharif’s widows, Javeria Siddiq, PFUJ, KUJ, the Kenya Correspondents’ Club, and the Pakistani and Kenyan media communities. In a ruling posted by Siddiq on social media platform X, Justice SN Mutuku found the use of legal force against Sharif “arbitrary, disproportionate, illegal and unconstitutional.”
Judge Mutuku further found that the Kenya Independent Police Oversight Authority and the Directorate of Public Prosecutions had violated Sharif’s constitutional rights by failing to complete their investigations and prosecute two police officers directly involved in the killing. Geo TV reported in October 2023 that five police officers involved in the journalist’s death were still receiving benefits from Kenyan authorities. The court ordered the payment of 10 million Kenyan shillings (approximately US$77,000) to the journalist’s family.
The journalist was killed at a checkpoint on his way to Nairobi, Kenya, when officers from the General Services Unit, the armed wing of the Kenya Police, fired nine shots at his vehicle. Kenyan police have expressed regret over the incident, claiming it was a case of “mistaken identity.”
Sharif fled Pakistan in 2022 after he and his colleagues from Pakistani broadcaster ARY News were charged with multiple sedition charges. Sharif was known to be an ardent supporter of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former prime minister Imran Khan.
One of Sharif’s wives, Javeria Siddiq, filed a lawsuit against Kenyan law enforcement and judicial authorities in October 2023, seeking accountability, an apology and acceptance of responsibility for Sharif’s killing. The case in Pakistan stalled in March 2023, with investigators alleging that Kenyan authorities had restricted their access to case materials.
KUJ stated:“KUJ, as one of the parties in the case, welcomes the verdict and urges the government to act swiftly and provide compensation to the families as directed by the court.”
PFUJ stated:“The court’s verdict confirms our position that Arshad Sharif was murdered. While this brings about justice at an initial stage, the real culprits behind this murder are yet to be identified. PFUJ Chairman GM Jamali and Secretary General Rana Muhammad call on the Pakistani authorities to investigate and hold the real culprits accountable. The government must take concrete steps to ensure that such incidents are not repeated.”
The IFJ stated:“The League welcomes the court’s decision to award compensation to Arshad Sharif’s family, but this is only partial justice. The Pakistani and Kenyan authorities must ensure that the terms of the sentence are fully implemented and that the police officers responsible for Arshad Sharif’s death are not granted impunity.”
