The Brain Behind the Murder of Daniel Pearl Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison in Pakistan: RSF Denounces Shocking Denial of Justice

A court in Karachi, southern Pakistan, has commuted the death penalty on the sponsor of the Daniel Pearl murder to seven years in prison. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) denounces an incoherent decision, a symbol of impunity for crimes committed against reporters.

In fact, he will be able to get out of prison. Sentenced at first instance to the death penalty, Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, the mastermind of the brutal assassination of American journalist Daniel Pearl in 2002, saw his sentence commuted this morning to seven years in prison, a period covered by his 18 years already taken into custody.

This decision was made in Karachi by the High Court of Sindh Province, which was considering the appeal brought by the criminal originally convicted in 2002. Three other individuals implicated in this murder, Salman Saquib, Fahad Nasim and Sheikh Adil , sentenced to life in first instance, are simply released.

“If RSF is fundamentally opposed to the death penalty, the organization deeply regrets this incoherent decision rendered by the judges of Karachi ,” said Daniel Bastard, manager of the Asia-Pacific office of RSF. She admits the guilt of Saeed Sheikh, while canceling de facto his conviction. This is a shocking denial of justice for those close to Daniel Pearl, and will remain a symbol of impunity for crimes against journalists in Pakistan. ”

Macabre staging

Head of the South Asia office for the Wall Street Journal , Daniel Pearl was investigating Islamist circles in Karachi when he disappeared on January 23, 2002. His abduction was first claimed by an unknown organization, which demanded the release of the nationals Pakistani soldiers captured by the US military in Afghanistan.

After a month of suspense, the journalist’s death was finally announced by the sending to the American consulate of Karachi of a videotape showing, in a macabre staging, Daniel Pearl slaughtered, then beheaded.

During a first court appearance after his arrest, Saeed Sheikh, a Pakistani-British citizen, admitted to being the sponsor of this assassination.

Pakistan is 142nd out of 180 countries in the 2019 edition of the World Press Freedom Index published by RSF.