Govt asked to share details into journalist’s murder case

KABUL (Pajhwok): Sweden has asked the Afghan government to share any development made into the investigations of a Swedish journalist who was killed in Kabul last year.

The issue was discussed on Monday in a meeting between Hekmat Khalil Karzai, Afghan deputy foreign affairs minister, Swedish Ambassador to Kabul Peter Semneby and Cilla Benko, the Swedish National Radio head who is visiting Afghanistan.

According to a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), Mrs. Benko said: “As a Swedish National Radio head and friend of the diseased journalist, it is important for me to know results of the investigation into the case.”

Swedish Radio’s South Asia correspondent, Nils Horner was shot dead in Wazir Akbar Khan locality of Kabul in January 2014. A Taliban’s offshoot had claimed responsibility for his killing.

Karzai, the MoFA political affairs deputy, said Horner had sacrificed his life in raising Afghans voices and freedom of speech.  

Karzai reiterated protection of journalists, freedom of speech. “Unfortunately, a number of Afghan and foreign journalists sacrificed their lives in defending freedom of press,” he added. Ahmad Sardar, his wife and children’s brutal killing in Serena Hotel was yet another example of journalists’ sacrifices, he recalled.

“There has been much progress into Horner’s assassination case and the results will be shared with the Swedish Embassy after the probe is concluded,” Karzai pledged.  

But Mohammad Ayub Salangi, deputy interior minister, in his meeting with reporters had said the investigation into the case didn’t yield any result. But he stressed the case was still open and security organs were trying to bring the perpetrators to justice.

ra/rm