Death sentence of the killer of Daniel Pearl overturned by Pakistani court

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Christine Douglass-Williams

Before being beheaded, Pearl was forced to say: ‘I am a Jew.’ Video footage of his murder was subsequently sent to the American Embassy.

In an atrocious travesty of justice even for Pakistan, the Sindh High Court has overturned the death sentence of the jihadist Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, who beheaded journalist Daniel Pearl in 2002. Sheikh has also now been awarded a reduced sentence of seven years in prison, while the other three men who were given life sentences were acquitted and immediately released.

At the time of sentencing of these jihadists, their convictions were understood almost universally to be just, but now enough time has passed for emotions to cool. These jihadis will undoubtedly now continue their jihad missions.

Meanwhile, Asia Bibi and other Christians who are still in Pakistan are treated much for mere accusations of blasphemy against Islam, which indicates yet again the low status of infidels in the country. Yet to call this out is deemed “Islamophobic.

British Islamist militant jailed for decapitating US journalist Daniel Pearl on camera has his death sentence in Pakistan overturned and reduced to seven years in prison,” by Rory Butler, Daily Mail, April 2, 2020:

A Pakistani court has overturned the death sentence of a British-born Islamist militant convicted of beheading a US journalist in 2002.

Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, of Wanstead, in east London, UK, was found guilty of the abduction and murder of south Asia bureau chief of the Wall Street Journal, Daniel Pearl, in 2002.

Pearl, 38, disappeared in Karachi, the capital of Pakistan, on January 23 of the same year.

Sheikh was expected to be released having served 18 years – though that court ruling had not yet passed – but instead Sheikh’s sentence was reduced to seven years and his death sentence overturned by the Sindh High Court.

The Sindh chief prosecutor said he will lodge an appeal to the Supreme Court. Sheikh is expected to remain in jail pending the appeal.

‘The murder charges were not proven, so he has been given seven years for the kidnapping,’ according to defense lawyer Khawja Naveed.

Sheikh was convicted for Pearl’s murder with three other men, who are from Pakistan.

They are Sheikh Adil, 35, Fahad Naseem, 23, and Salman Saquib, 25 – all given life.

Sheikh, however, received a death sentence after being found the ringleader.

In addition to Sheikh’s overturned death sentence and jail time reduction, the three other men were also acquitted and released, according to BBC News.

Before being beheaded, Pearl was forced to say: ‘I am a Jew.’

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