Journalism groups demand justice for Arshad Sharif four years after killing

International and Pakistani journalist organizations, including the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), are renewing calls for the prosecution of Kenyan police officers involved in the 2022 killing of Arshad Sharif.

Sharif, a prominent investigative journalist and former ARY News anchor, was shot dead on October 23, 2022, near Nairobi, Kenya. While Kenyan police initially characterized the incident as a case of mistaken identity during a vehicle search, a Pakistani fact-finding team concluded the killing appeared to be a planned assassination, noting contradictions in police accounts.

Although Kenyan courts previously ruled that the shooting violated Sharif’s constitutional right to life and awarded his family 10 million Kenyan shillings in compensation, no individuals have been arrested or prosecuted. In July 2026, Kenya’s Supreme Court dismissed an appeal seeking to compel the prosecution of the officers, stating that criminal charge decisions remain under the authority of the Director of Public Prosecutions.