(Al Jazeera) – Pakistan’s Supreme Court upholds acquittal of British-born Ahmed Omar Sheikh, convicted of masterminding the Wall Street Journal reporter’s killing.
A panel of three judges of Pakistan’s Supreme Court has ordered the release of Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, who was convicted of killing US journalist Daniel Pearl, a government lawyer said.
“By a majority of two to one, they have acquitted all the accused persons and ordered their release,” provincial attorney general, Salman Talibuddin, told Reuters news agency in a text message on Thursday.
Sheikh, a 47-year-old British-Pakistani, was the main suspect in the 2002 kidnapping and murder of Pearl, a Wall Street Journal reporter.
The court also dismissed an appeal of Sheikh’s acquittal by Pearl’s family.
“Today’s decision is a complete travesty of justice and the release of these killers puts in danger journalists everywhere and the people of Pakistan,” the Pearl family said in a statement released by their lawyer.
Sheikh has been on death row since his conviction in Pearl’s killing. His lawyer said Sheikh “should not have spent one day in jail”.
