Eight out of 10 Malala shooting suspects ‘acquitted’

Only two of 10 men supposedly jailed for the attempted assassination of teenage activist Malala Yousafzai have actually been convicted during the secret trial, according to reports.

The BBC says that eight of the men escaped justice following the court case, despite all 10 supposedly being given a 25-year sentence.

In April, officials in Pakistan said that 10 Taliban fighters had been found guilty and received 25-year jail terms.

The court judgement claims that the convicted men were those who shot Ms Yousafzai in 2012, the BBC says.

A senior security source in Pakistan accused officials of lying over the trial and convictions and claimed the eight were released “quietly, to avoid a media fuss”.

Ms Yousafzai was shot in the head by the Pakistani Taliban in the Swat Valley on October 9th 2012 for advocating education for women.

The 17-year-old won world acclaim for her campaign and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize last year.

Pakistan’s military arrested the men last year.

Ms Yousafzai was initially treated in Pakistan, but was later flown to a hospital in Britain, where she now lives with her family.

Public prosecutor Sayed Naeem said in April that each defendant got 25 years in jail.

He said: “It is life in prison for the 10 militants who were tried by an anti-terrorist court.”

A spokesman for Ms Yousafzai was unavailable for comment.

AP