25 March 2009

AL-KHAIWANI PARDONED AGAIN


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IFEX members the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) have expressed relief that the Yemeni President has again pardoned outspoken journalist Abdul Karim al-Khaiwani.

The President had already pardoned al-Khaiwani in September 2008 after he was sentenced to six years in jail for supporting an alleged terrorist group. But a special terrorism court re-imposed the sentence on 26 January.

Al-Khaiwani, former editor-in-chief of the opposition paper "Al Shoura" and editor of the website al-Shoura.net, has repeatedly been targeted for his work. Last year, he was prevented from travelling to London to receive Amnesty International's prestigious human rights media award. IFJ was able to present the award to al-Khaiwani during the congress of the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate in Sana'a this month.

At the opening session of the congress on 14 March, President Ali Abdullah Saleh confirmed his pardon and announced that the charges would be dropped and the case closed. Saleh also said broadcasting in Yemen will be opened up to independent media.

In receiving the award in front of a rapturous audience of several hundred journalists, al- Khaiwani said, "I want to emphasise here that this award... is also recognition for Yemeni journalism and Yemeni journalists. I thank Amnesty International for granting me this award which will support press freedom in Yemen. It also sends a message to Yemeni journalists that they are not alone in the face of authoritarianism, corruption and violation of human rights."

Visit these links:
- IFJ: http://tinyurl.com/df2k4w
- RSF: http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=30243
- IFEX Yemen page: http://tinyurl.com/bq8a2b
(Photo: IFJ President Jim Boumelha presents Amnesty International's special human rights award to Abdul Kharim al-Khaiwani during a congress of Yemeni journalists in Sana'a this month)

(25 March 2009)



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Yemen

Journalists receive death threats; news media attacked 8 February 2012 IFJ warns press freedom remains under siege after threats against editor 6 February 2012 Witnesses in "Al-Ayyam" case turn against prosecution 11 January 2012 IFJ calls for an end to the harassment of journalists 4 January 2012 Journalists attacked during protests 29 December 2011 See all alerts: Yemen


Middle East

IRAN: Translator and poet arrested, whereabouts unknown 9 February 2012 BAHRAIN: Authorities urged to grant entry to journalists 9 February 2012 SAUDI ARABIA: Journalist flees country following detention order over tweets 9 February 2012 SYRIA: Journalist killed in Homs 9 February 2012 KUWAIT: Electoral campaign marred by attacks, prosecutions against media 9 February 2012


 
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