Danger to Al-Khaiwani of Getting Killed in Jail Following Political Trial
Update: I guess people can still sign a letter of support (click here) for al-Khaiwani. The fight is not over.
Original post: Menassat, Lebanon
CAIRO, June 9, 2008 (ANHRI) – The Arabic network for human rights information (ANHRI) has condemned the harsh sentence issued by the Yemeni State Security Court against Abdulkarim Al-Khaiwani, the former editor in chief of the Yemeni Al Shora newspaper, and the alShora.net website.
Al-Khaiwani was sentenced to 6 years in prison as one of 14 Yemenis accused in the case known as “The Second Cell of Sana’a.” The Yemeni government accused the 14 persons of supporting the Houthis opposition militant group in Yemen.
Right after the sentence, the security officers arrested Al-Khaiwani violently and led him to prison without considering his health conditions.
The investigations in this case began around a year ago, on July 4th 2007, after Al-Khaiwani and his colleagues were accused of organizing a militia to commit terrorist attacks and conspiracy in cooperation with an illegal group.
The State Security Court did not commit to the accurate legal procedures while filing the case. Moreover, it did not provide valid evidence against Al-Khaiwani. In spite of all this the Court issued its tough verdict in the case, which confirms the doubts in the fairness of thoe so-called exceptional courts, especially when their sentences always come in the [form] of political revenge instead of justice.
“Despite the courage of many Yemeni Journalists, Al-Khaiwani was exposed to security [persecution] because of his critical writings against the Yemeni Government and president, which seem to be the reason behind the tough sentence,” Gamal Eid, the executive Director of ANHRI said.
After this sentence Al-Khaiwani turned from a journalist whose freedom is endangered, into a prisoner of opinion; this situation requires all the Arabic and international possible efforts to release him and allow Al-Khaiwani to regain his freedom. At the same time, all Arabic and International organizations should note that there is a real risk for Al-Khaiwani during his stay in prison as a direct opponent of the Yemeni president.
M&C:
Among those convicted was Abdul-Kareem al-Khaiwani, former editor of the Shura opposition weekly, who received a six-year jail sentence. He was convicted of disseminating pro-rebel propaganda to local and foreign media (also known as publishing news) ….
‘This is a political trial, and this court is for conviction and knows no acquittal,’ said al-Khaiwani, an outspoken critic of government policy, who also lodged an appeal against the verdict.
Later on Monday, al-Khaiwani was taken to the central prison in Sana’a to serve the jail term. Yemen’s Journalists Syndicate (YJS) and Writers Union condemned the sentence, saying it went ‘against the constitutional and legal guarantees related to freedom of expression and freedom of the press.’
The Pen is a Weapon, Unprecedented Sentence
Yemen Observer: Abdul-Bari Taher, the former journalists syndicate’s head, said that when the judiciary is politicized, one does not expect anything. Justice is expected from an independent, skilled judiciary, but when the executive power manipulates judiciary, it directs it as one of its administrations. One will not wonder if any journalist is charged, as journalistic tools – pens, cassettes and books become evidences against them.
Journalist Saeed Thabit hopes that the appeal court will set it right. Murwan Murwan Damaj, the general secretary of the journalists’ syndicate, said that the sentence was not expected, because there were no charges, however he considered al-Khiwani’s condemnation a message against journalism freedom, linked to Sada war coverage, because al-Khaiwani was assuming his journalistic career and did not commit any crime. Al-Khaiwani was a practicing journalist when he was recently acquitted in the first Sana’a cell case.
Lawyer Mohammed al-Madani member of the al-Khaiwani defense body, said that the sentence against al-Khaiwani is disappointing and contradictory to the constitution and laws. He continued asking, “Why should a journalist be imprisoned without charges, through despotic procedures, searching and imprisonment.” He said that the six year sentence is unprecedented in all laws and custom. Al-Madani said that the sentence execution directly following the delivery, without mentioning it at the judgment is contradicting article 475 of the penal procedures.
