Afghan media group condemns arrests and expulsion in Islamabad Internet shutdowns choke reporting from Iran protests Hong Kong court weighs sentencing in Jimmy Lai security case UNESCO warns South Korea's fake news law risks press freedom Turkey honors journalists on Working Journalists’ Day Pakistan journalists face deepening welfare crisis, PFUJ-Workers warns Independent U.S. journalists reshape news ecosystem Venezuelan editors in exile join forces to report crisis RSF launches Iran media help desk for journalists Iran communications blackout deepens media repression, RSF warns Afghan media group condemns arrests and expulsion in Islamabad Internet shutdowns choke reporting from Iran protests Hong Kong court weighs sentencing in Jimmy Lai security case UNESCO warns South Korea's fake news law risks press freedom Turkey honors journalists on Working Journalists’ Day Pakistan journalists face deepening welfare crisis, PFUJ-Workers warns Independent U.S. journalists reshape news ecosystem Venezuelan editors in exile join forces to report crisis RSF launches Iran media help desk for journalists Iran communications blackout deepens media repression, RSF warns
Logo
Janu
Hall of Shame

Court frees suspect in Daniel Pearl murder

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 24 October 2014

Join our WhatsApp channel

Court frees suspect in Daniel Pearl murder
Syed Hashim, a suspect in the murder of American journalist Daniel Pearl, was released by an Anti-Terrorism Court in Hyderabad. The court cited lack of evidence in the case, which has seen several convictions since Pearl's kidnapping and murder in 2002.

HYDERABAD: One of the suspects in American journalist Daniel Pearl’s murder case was freed by an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Hyderabad on Friday.

Syed Hashim, one of the alleged suspects involved in kidnapping and murdering Pearl (pictured), was arrested in 2008. Newly-posted presiding officer of ATC Abdul Ghafoor Memon buried the case citing lack of evidence.

Pearl, the South Asia bureau chief at the Wall Street Journal, was abducted and killed in Karachi on January 23, 2002.

A special anti-terrorism court had awarded death sentence to the mastermind, Ahmed Omer Sheikh, while the co-accused, Salman Saqib, Fahad Naseem and Shaikh Adil, were handed life imprisonments in 2002, after being found guilty of kidnapping and beheading the foreign journalist.- Online

KEY POINTS:

  • Syed Hashim freed by Anti-Terrorism Court in Hyderabad
  • Court cited lack of evidence for release
  • Daniel Pearl was kidnapped on January 23, 2002
  • Ahmed Omer Sheikh received death sentence in the case
  • Co-accused received life imprisonments in 2002

Don't Miss These

Newsroom
Afghan media group condemns arrests and expulsion in Islamabad

Afghan media group condemns arrests and expulsion in Islamabad

 January 12, 2026 AMSO condemned arrests and the deportation of Afghan journalists by Pakistani police in Islamabad, calling the actions illegal and a threat to press freedom.


Internet shutdowns choke reporting from Iran protests

Internet shutdowns choke reporting from Iran protests

 January 12, 2026 Internet shutdowns and network throttling in Iran are crippling journalists and media, impeding reporting, verification and sharing of protest information.


Hong Kong court weighs sentencing in Jimmy Lai security case

Hong Kong court weighs sentencing in Jimmy Lai security case

 January 12, 2026 High Court hearings began to sentence Jimmy Lai and co-defendants convicted under Hong Kong's national security law, with potential life terms and implications for press freedom.


UNESCO warns South Korea's fake news law risks press freedom

UNESCO warns South Korea's fake news law risks press freedom

 January 12, 2026 UNESCO warns South Korea's new 'fake news' law uses vague definitions and broad enforcement powers that could erode press freedom and spur self-censorship.


Turkey honors journalists on Working Journalists' Day

Turkey honors journalists on Working Journalists' Day

 January 11, 2026 Turkey observed Working Journalists' Day on Jan. 10 with official tributes, praising reporters' work and press freedom amid concerns over media restrictions.


Popular Stories