Arrest warrant against Yemeni journalist [Archives:2002/44/Local News]

MUJAHID AL-MUSA’ABI
YEMEN TIMES STAFF
The Attorney Appeal of Ibb governorate, Odain branch, issued a warrant for the arrest of journalist Mohammed Sadiq Al Odaini on Oct. 21.
And editor of the human rights page at Athawri Newspaper, the journalist is to attend the court session of Oct. 23.
The Yemen Times obtained a copy of the warrant document, signed by deputy of Odain Attorney, Jameel Ahmed Dhafer, mentioned no legal reason for the arrest, and that that the journalist is working with Athawri, the mouthpiece of the Yemeni socialist party.
Al Odaini was so surprised by this warrant because he has no case to be summoned by the attorney.
According to law, such a warrant arrest by a court or an attorney cannot be applied from the first time. It usually comes at the last stages after requesting presence of the person many times.
“I think it is because of my idea of publishing a long report about authorities’ violations of pressman last year,” said Al Odaini to the Times.
“The officer who is in charge of arresting me is given the ultimate power to capture me by force and do whatever he sees fit,” the journalist who remains in hiding.
He expressed his disappointment over the ineffective role the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate which he accused as being in league with the authorities against journalists freedoms, and said the chairman does not have time for discussing harassment of journalists.
Al Odaini has occupied many positions, the last being a secretary of the freedoms and rights and executive manager of the Yemeni Journalist Syndicates from which he was fired for his positions.
He says he was also was exposed to assassination and arrest attempts, he was imprisoned in Ibb from 1997 to 1999 after a failed assassination attempt.

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