Journalism Under Fierce Attack

Yemeni Journalists Syndicate (YJS) called on Interior Minister and the Attorney General to have an immediate investigation on the circumstances of attack that targeted fellow Al-Nass editor and journalist Abdullah Qatran and asked as well for punishing those proven to be involved in the incident.  

In its press release, the YJS condemned the attack against Qatran who was in a journalistic mission and covering the burning incident of Sydney Hotel located on the 60-meter road Street in Sana'a.

According to the release, a group of soldiers and security men embarked on attacking Qatran and took his mobile phone and the stick while he was featuring a scene of three soldiers harshly beating a citizen. 

Moreover, the Seventy-road Street Zone Leader Harmal slandered Qatran and called him bad names. He also slandered journalism profession as well, "You journalists! You are flies that gather round dirty things," said Harmal.

Secretary General of YJS told the Yemen Post that Yemeni journalism is facing an organized and fierce attack, hinting this attack took different forms and shapes. 

They also considered this move by the ministry to be against press and printings law no. 25 and issued in 1990 and dictates people's right to own media outlets whatever they are.  

They also called on civil society and freedom organizations inside and outside the country to back them and to stand against the complex measures aiming to confiscate their rights covered by constitution and law. 

Meanwhile, Information Ministry declined to license new 10 newspapers, claiming this is made under high directives and the applicant for the licenses pointed out that their applications meet all the required legal conditions.

The information ministry further banned distribution of Al-Sabbah claiming they failed to respect legal procedures upon its creation. Similarly, the first issue of Abwab printed in Dubai was seized on arrival at Sana'a airport.

The magazine’s Editor-in-Chief Nabeel Al-Soufi told the Yemen Post that authorities claimed that President Saleh was disrespectfully presented in the cover, stressing that he just reprinted the photo from the official media and has nothing to do disrespect.

Al-Soufi further pointed out that he made a second reprint of the magazine; however, it was withheld on arrival at the airport and Information Ministry justified this move by indicating that it was reprinted in Emirates without the permission of the ministry

He maintained that they allegedly stress that this is violating to press and publications law and regretfully hints that he could not go beyond the first issue which is still seized at Sana'a International Airport. 

The authorities have also prevented access to several websites and they have not explained why access to some websites including Yemeni Socialist Party www.aleshteraki.net and search engine yemenportal.net has been denied. 

In related news, Al-Ayyam correspondent Abdu Al-Fattah Haidrah was kidnapped in Sana'a. He told the Yemen Post that a group of five armed men boarding a Hilux car stopped him while he was heading to cover the burning of Sydney Hotel.