12 January 2005
RSF ALARMED AT GROWING CRACKDOWN ON THE PRESS
Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF) is expressing alarm at what it calls a "growing crackdown" on the news media in Yemen. In 2004, it recorded at least 24 press freedom violations, including nine suspended jail sentences against journalists despite a pledge by the president last June to abolish prison sentences for press crimes.
"These frequent crackdowns on the press create a climate of intimidation that makes it extremely difficult for journalists to work," the IFEX member says. Among the journalists given suspended jail sentences are Abdelwahed Hawache and Abdel Jabbar Saad of the weekly "Al Ihiya al Arabi," who criticised the Saudi royal family.
Other journalists include Abderrahmane Abdallah, the editor of the weekly "Al Tajamaa" ("The Gathering"), who received a six-month suspended sentence for reporting that a Libyan citizen tried to assassinate Saudi Crown Prince Abdallah, while one of his journalists, Nabil Sabie, got a four-month suspended sentence for the same article. Hamid Chahra, the editor of the weekly "Al Nass" ("The Men"), received a three-month suspended sentence and was fined 50,000 riyals (183 Euro) for libel because he referred to the corruption prevailing in Yemeni political circles.
RSF says these jail sentences fly in the face of Yemeni President Ali Abdallah Saleh's promise in June 2004 to "work to put an end to prison sentences for press crimes." Local journalists say they have lost confidence in the country's judicial system and no longer believe in the president's press freedom promises.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) notes that Yemen's 1990 Press Law remains a formidable threat to press freedom. The law bars criticism of the president and lists a wide range of vaguely worded offenses that can land a journalist in court and prison. Article 103 prohibits journalists and editors from publishing articles that "cause tribal, sectarian, racial, regional or ancestral discrimination" or "undermine public morals or prejudices the dignity of individuals or personal freedoms."
Visit:
- RSF: http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=12176
- CPJ: http://www.cpj.org/attacks03/mideast03/yemen.html
- International Press Institute: http://www.freemedia.at/wpfr/Mena/yemen.htm
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