KARACHI: A United Nations expert on Wedne­sday said that Kenyan and Pakistani authorities must step up efforts to fully investigate the killing of journalist Arshad Sharif in Kenya and prosecute those responsible, in line with a landmark ruling by a Kenyan court.

“It is now almost two years since Arshad Sharif’s death and several months since the Kenyan High Court delivered a historic judgement ruling his killing “unlawful”, “arbitrary” and “disproportionate”.

“None of the police officers linked to the shooting has been arrested and no charges have been filed by prosecutors in Kenya yet”, said Irene Khan, the Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression.

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“Despite the Kenyan High Court’s ruling, I am deeply concerned that neither the Kenyan authorities nor the Pakistani government have stepped up their efforts to fully investigate the case,” said a statement issued by the office of the UN Human Rights High Commi­ssioner, Geneva, quoting the special rapporteur.

On July 8, following a civil suit brought by Mr Sharif’s family, the High Court of Kenya in Kajiado ruled that the use of lethal force in his death was “unlawful and unconstitutional” and required the Kenyan State to pay 10 million shillings in compensation to the journalist’s family.

“The High Court judgement is an important victory, but its real impact will only be felt if the two governments bring the perpetrators of Sharif’s killing to justice,” Ms Khan said.

In October 2023, UN experts wrote to Kenyan and Pakistani authorities demanding investigations into the killing and the charges that led to Mr Arshad’s exile.

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“Justice for Mr Sharif and his family will not be done until the circumstances behind this murder are fully clarified, including whether it was a transnational crime, and all responsible actors are identified, prosecuted and punished in Kenya and Pakistan,” Special Rapporteur Khan said.

“I urge the Kenyan and Pakistani governments to muster the political will to ensure full accountability and bring to justice all those responsible for Arshad Sharif’s murder, so that this case can become a landmark reference in the fight against impunity for the killing of journalists,” Ms Khan said.

Published in Dawn, September 27th, 2024