Their News [Archives:2008/1190/Local News]

Seyaj discusses the Media propagation for Victims of Sexual abuse children next Thursday.

Experts of media, lowers and civil society organizations discuss the consequences of ” Media propagation of pictures and names of children who were sexually abused “.

“The activity aims at calling the attention of media and jurists to the devastating effects of exposing children who are victims of sexual abuse to media and publicizing their personal information and the consequences of that on their life and families.” Said Ahmed Algorashi the head of the Seyaj Organization for Childhood protecting, the activity organizer.

Algorashi said that the activity which is sponsored by Cac Bank will be executed on next Thursday and will be presented by: Mr. Nasr Taha Mustafa the head of Yemeni Journalists Union, Mr. Abdul-bary Taher the Ex- head of Yemeni journalists Union and human rights activist the lower Abdulrahman Barman.

Besides many participations of parliamentary personalities ,journalists ,lowers, human rights activists as well as attendance and participation invitations for all individuals and institutions who are concerned on childhood issues.

Almost a quarter of a million individuals and more than 30,000 families benefit from Ramadan charity projects

Ramadan charity projects organized by the Islah Social Charity Association have reached 243,631 individuals and 31,445 families within the first ten days of Ramadan.

Dr. Mohammed Al-Qubati, the general manager of the association, stated that the projects target the poor all over the republic, indicating that the association distributes 144 meals every day in the mosques and centers of the association.

He said that the meals' beneficiaries are students, prisoners, police station employees and traffic policemen. The projects also include the distribution of ready meals, meat and dates to poor families and individuals.

Al-Qubati said that the Iftar Al-Musafer project would be launched during the coming twenty days, and would target a further 20,000 traveling individuals throughout the country.

The project, which will be executed in collaboration with the cooperation of Sheikh Abdullah Al-Ahmar, will offer travelers Iftar, the breaking of the fast during Ramadan, on all roads leading from the governorates of Sana'a and Aden to the rest of the country.

Al-Qubati renewed his call for the businessmen and benefactors to support these projects to help needy people.

Yemen Urged to Respect Rights of Religious Minorities

Freedom House is deeply concerned about an apparent crackdown in Yemen on religious minorities, including followers of the Baha'i faith and Christians who converted from Islam.

Three Baha'i businessmen who have lived in Yemen for decades with their families but retain Iranian citizenship face imminent deportation, possibly to Iran. Yemeni police arrested the businessmen in June along with three other Baha'is. While Yemen has generally respected the rights of religious minorities, Iran has executed hundreds of Baha'is since the Islamic Revolution.

“Freedom House appeals to Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh to rescind the deportation orders and release these individuals,” said Jennifer Windsor, Freedom House executive director. “For the Baha'i, deportation to Iran would likely mean their incarceration and torture, a clear violation of international human rights law.”

The Associated Press also reports that Yemen is holding at least nine persons for converting to Christianity. Converting from Islam to any other religion is illegal in Yemen and punishable by death. Those arrested are only released if they renounce their new faith and vow to embrace Islam again.

In 1994, Yemen ratified the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states: “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes the freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either or alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.”

“Freedom House calls on the international community to carefully monitor the treatment of religious minorities in Yemen and to remind their Yemeni partners of their international obligations,” said Windsor.

Yemen is ranked “Partly Free” in the 2008 edition of Freedom in the World, Freedom House's survey of political rights and civil liberties, and “Not Free” in the 2008 version of Freedom of the Press. Iran is ranked “Not Free” in the 2008 edition of Freedom in the World and “Not Free” in the 2008 version of Freedom of the Press.

Freedom House, an independent nongovernmental organization that supports the expansion of freedom in the world, has been monitoring political rights and civil liberties in Yemen and Iran since 1972.
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