A Free Press Crumbles in Yemen
This week in Yemen: Four more journalists convicted, another editor attacked, justice delayed again for al-Khaiwani.
This is on top of one editor imprisoned, one editor murdered, and three newspapers closed. You can’t write about the Saudis-oh no-but trash Bush all you want. You can’t write about governmental corruption in your own country but its fine to demonize the US and UK governments until the cows come home. “Democratization” without a free press is just another way of gaining development aid and clinging to power until your son, Salah Jr., turns 40 and can take over the presidency. And the rationale for censorship is what: the citizens are so infantile that they can’t handle the truth? its impolite to discuss foreign relations with Arab states? an oped is going to cause an uprising? The whole premise is warped, the society harmed, and all these reform conferences a sham.
(Technical note: comment moderation is on-I’m getting slammed with spam, half pharacutical and half political. Even the spam here is freer than the press in the Middle East.)
