A Review of Press Freedom in A Decade [Archives:2000/27/Law & Diplomacy]

After the declaration of the Republic of Yemen, many parties and newspapers emerged as a natural phenomenon in the new era. Press freedom became the most dominant issue from the very beginning of the new age. About 160 newspapers were founded. This number fell to less than a half after the civil war of 1994.
Press in Yemen flourished in the period before 1994 when more freedom was granted. After this period newspapers and journalists were dragged to courts and prisons.
Among the problems press currently faces is the government’s attempts to politicize and control the journalists’ syndicate. Most of the Yemeni journalists boycotted elections of the syndicate in 1997 when the government imposed candidates who had nothing to do with journalism. The second election took place in 1999. Although more than 80% journalists supported the syndicate to begin its work, it was not as it should have been. However, it was better than the previous one. Press suffers also from the absence of a well-defined editorial policy based on the principles and concepts of journalism.
What do Yemeni journalists say about the press experience during the past decade?
Jalal Al-Shara’abi met with a number of outstanding journalists and noted their perspectives:

Abbas Ghaleb, Chief Editor of Al-Mithaq newspaper, mouthpiece of PGC
The coincidence of Yemen unification with pluralism and democratization has created a suitable atmosphere for a good number of newspapers to come to being. However, any evaluation of the performance of the press during the last decade must, in my opinion, be based upon two grounds: legislation and the way it keeps abreast with achievements in Yemen. I hope that Freedom of Press Day would provide an opportunity to review the press experience in our country in order to learn from the mistakes during the past ten years.

Dr. Faris Al-Saqqaf, Chairman of the Future Studies Center
The period before the internal war 1990-1994 formed the flourishing period for political scenario in Yemen. However, during these ten years, Yemen has been able to mislead the public and show itself as a democratic country while in fact, many democratic institutions are still absent here such as press freedom. Journalists are arrested, harassed and suspended. Moreover, strict monitoring is imposed on the press, and the press law is the greatest barrier to achievement of full potential of the press. Some would say that we have some good laws but they are not implemented. This is untrue, because all these abound in terms like, according to law, within the framework of public interest, etc. These terms make all laws meaningless.
The press in our country passes through a very difficult time. It is true that there is some freedom, however, its tied by barbed wires.

Nassr Taha Mostafa. Chairman of the Center of Strategic studies, Chief Editor of the Nawafidh magazine.
I think that the situation is redeeming to some extent. Fortunately, the press law was issued during a period marked by balanced political powers, but we are in need to feel our feet on the ground.
This law contains some flaws which need amendment. Unless the majority of the parliament are aware of these and their ramifications, there might be some risk in giving the green signal to amendments because they may worsen the situation. So, we have to be more cautious in tackling this issue.

Yasin Al-Masawdi, Vice Chief Editor of Al-Thawrah newspaper
Press is a mirror of the society in all its political, economic and social aspects. Before 1994, press was no more than a picture of the political relationships which later on developed into a crisis. At the time, newspapers were the main means for exchanging political accusations instead of enhancing the democratic experience. However, it is a period that should be reviewed carefully in order to enable us to benefit from its pros and cons.
The period following 1994 witnessed the foundation of about 160 newspapers and magazines. Only those which have been able to withstand the strong political currents and crosscurrents and prove themselves are still published. Specialized newspapers in sectors of economy, women issues, etc. have been published during this period in contrast with the previous period in which all the newspapers were only political.
The newspapers available nowadays thrive on individual efforts and lack an institutional background. Newspapers should be based on a complete institutional background to be able to compete with others and to be able to grow and develop themselves.

Khalid Al-Hammadi, the London-based Al-Qods Al-Arabi correspondent
Press freedom in Yemen as an essential product of the reunification in 1990 could not move, particularly, from its zero point even after 10 years due to the fact that more obstacles faced its growth and sustenance.
I think the greatest contributory factor for that is the great gap between the ideal legislation and the actual practice of those rights.
The Yemeni constitution and laws consist of more articles to safeguard the rights and duties of the journalists, newspapers and printers, but the meaning of most of those is unclear, which allows everybody to interpret and enforce them according to his own understanding of the same.
This creates a formidable problem for this part of the freedom, which sometimes pushes the legislation far away from the real objectives and from its letter and spirit, particularly with the unprofessional judges adjudicating journalist issues.
The real essence of press freedom is lost not in the ministry of Information only, not in the judicial departments only and not even in the political regime only, but the onus is shared by all of these official institutions which have the official weaponry and power to obstruct rather than develop it. And, I think, the journalists in the absence of realization of the real role of their syndicate in effect play a helper’s role in this enigmatic situation due to the absence of continual demands for press reform and press freedom.
All of these factors create more problems for the journalists and correspondents preventing them to benefit really from their legislative rights. The trial of Mr. Jamal Aamer last February is the clearest example of the sordid problem which worried the journalists and the government as well.

Abdul Aziz Sultan, Chief Editor of Al-Wahdawi
There has been a positive attitude towards the press since the reunification of Yemen. Journalists can write in partisan newspapers to express their opinions on various issues. However, we are still in the beginning and there is a lot to be done. For example, we are talking about press freedom! In advanced democracies, press freedom is unquestionable. Therefore, we have to work hard to push journalism forward to the level at which it can be practiced properly in a worthwhile manner.
It is good to have a press law overseeing and supervising the press work. However, the press law has become ineffectual for one of its articles stipulates that press can be tailored in accordance with other laws. This makes it a must for journalists to read all the country’s laws. Many newspapers have been guided in accordance with articles from other laws rather than the press law itself.
I am very optimistic about a better tomorrow in which mistakes of the past would be avoided.

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