Police officer sentenced to death for killing AP photographer

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — An Afghan police officer charged with killing Associated Press photographer Anja Niedringhaus (AHN’-yuh NEE’-dring-hows) and wounding veteran AP correspondent Kathy Gannon has been convicted and sentenced to death.

The ruling announced today by a court in Kabul followed a two-hour court hearing yesterday and a three-month police investigation.

Six judges at the Kabul District Court found the former Afghan police unit commander (Naqibullah) guilty of murder and treason in the April attack near the southeastern city of Khost (hohst). The two journalists were in a car, preparing to cover the first round of the country’s presidential election, when they were shot.

Under Afghan law, the verdict and sentence are subject to several stages of review.

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APPHOTO CAIMA102: FILE – This 2012 file photo shows Kathy Gannon, left, Associated Press special correspondent for Afghanistan and Pakistan, and AP photographer Anja Niedringhaus in Afghanistan. A Kabul court announced Wednesday, July 23, 2014 that the Afghan police officer charged with killing Associated Press photographer Anja Niedringhaus and wounding veteran AP correspondent Kathy Gannon has been convicted and sentenced to death.(AP Photo, File) (9 Oct 2012)

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