Observer Report
Washington
The US State Department on Friday expressed its reservations after the Sindh High Court (SHC) ordered that the four men charged in the abduction and murder of journalist Daniel Pearl be released immediately. The court termed their detention illegal. In a message on Twitter, the state department said it was “deeply concerned” at the Dec 24 ruling of the SHC to release “multiple terrorists responsible for the murder of Daniel Pearl”.
“We have been assured that the accused have not been released at this time,” the statement added.
It said the department will continue to monitor any developments in the case and will continue to support the Pearl family “through this extremely difficult process” while honouring the legacy of Daniel Pearl as a journalist.
The statement came a day after the SHC struck down a preventive detention order issued by the Sindh government to keep four men behind bars after their convictions by a trial court were set aside around eight months ago in the abduction and murder case of US journalist Daniel Pearl.
