World Association of Newspaper reports on press freedom in YemenAnother negative report on Yemen’s Press freedom [Archives:2004/793/Front Page]

The World Association of Newspaper joined the growing number of international organizations in reporting about the negative developments in the press freedom record in Yemen.
In a recent report issued by the Paris-based prominent organization on Monday 22 November, the ongoing imprisonment of journalist Abdulkareem Al-Kaiwani was explicitly mentioned. It pointed out to this act as a negative development in the country's press freedom record. Al-Khaiwani, the editor-in-Chief of Al-Shoura newspaper was sentenced on September the fifth to a year in jail and was harassed and beaten a number of times at the Central Prison in Sanaa.
He was convicted of incitement, insulting the president, publishing false news and causing tribal and sectarian discrimination.
The report did mention that Yemen is ahead of other states in the Arabian Peninsula, but it also said that it is battling against violations that limit press freedom in the country.
“The country which probably enjoys the greatest press freedom in the Persian Gulf, is continuing its battle for freedom of expression.” the report said.
Meanwhile, Yemen was mentioned in the report among many other Arab countries that also were subject to criticism for their oppression of freedom of the press.

Less press freedom in MENA
The organization brought a negative image of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region saying that press freedom in the region has been undergoing a downward trend in the last five months.
“Freedom of expression continues to suffer throughout the region [Middle East and North Africa]. The press freedom situation in many counties remains alarming, as government control over the press is rigid. In those countries where journalists do enjoy a measure of freedom of expression, they must contend with severe laws that often result in criminal prosecution, arrest and censorship.” the report said.

Not enough pressure
With this newly published report, additional pressure has been exerted on the Yemeni government to rethink its ongoing policies against the free press.
A large number of protest letters, negative reports, complaints, request letters, and inquires were sent to the authorities to help ease the pressure on the press but to so far to no avail.
However, so far, no response was received from the Yemeni authorities, who seem to still be unwilling to save the country's remaining press freedom from further decline.
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