Armies of Liberation

Initial Report on attacks of Yemen regime against Altagheer members

Introduction:

Al-tagheer Organization for Rights and Defense is a Yemeni comprised of a number of rights activists; politicians, media men, parliament members and other important social groups. The Org. has been active for more than a year, held founding conference on 19th Feb. 2008.

The purpose of the organization is to enhance respect towards human rights, defense law, constitution and freedom of speech, stabilize basics of equal citizenship, establish concepts of wise ruling, oppose violence and revive culture of tolerance and contribution in democratic change.

The Org. is currently facing strong opposition by the regime, which is embodied in a series of attacks targeting the leadership and the founding members, as follows:

Dr Nasser Al-khubbagi:

Dr Nasser Al-khubbagi , a member of the House of Representatives and a founding member of Al-tagheer , is threatened with an arrest and has been prevented from going to the House since 13th Oct2007, for having protested against firing on Radfan locals by Security Forces , while the locals were preparing for the festival of Yemen Revolution. The firing led to fifteen wounded and four killed while the criminals are still not captured. Many attempts were made to capture Al-khubbagi, the first of which was on 13th May 2008, but he survived . His car was confiscated and his driver, Nasser Mohammad Saleh, and bodyguard both were illegally arrested and still at the Sana’a Political Security Prison , without allowing being visited .

Al-khubbagi has been prevented from going to the House for more than eight months due to such a threat.

Salah Qaid Saleh:

Salah Qaid Saleh , a member of parliament, of the House Committee of General Freedom and Rights and a founding member of Al –tagheer was threatened to be arrested on the basis of Southern peaceful protests and has been prevented from going to the House since more than eight months, while an attempt of arrest was made on April 2008.

Mohammad Mohammad Muftah:

Mohammad Mohammad Muftah, a member of the Org., managerial staff . His car, in which he was with two of his children, was fired, and he has been coercively taken to unknown place since 21 May. 2008 up till now, has already been tried and sentenced to eight years imprisonment, of which two were executed, rearrested for a week by the authority, and he was released after efforts of local and international rights and media orgs, were made .

Abdulkareem Alkhaiwani:

Abdulkareem Alkhaiwani, a leading Yemeni journalist , a political activist, a founding member, has suffered a lot due to writing on bequeathing of power and his opposing attitudes towards policy of Saleh regime . He has already been sentenced to one year imprisonment, a half of which was spent, arrested more than once, beaten in front of his children. On 9th June he was sentenced to six years imprisonment, by specialized Penal Court, for having USB Flash Disk, CDs and Documents containing journalistic items related to Sada’a war.

Yahya Ghalib Ahmad:

Yahya Ghalib Ahmad, a lawyer, a rights activist, and a founding member, was arrested on 31 of March, at night, taken to unknown place. 20th days later, he was confirmed to have been referred, in chains, to Sana’a, and still there up till now . He is suffering from hepatitis and the authority refused to take him to hospital, which resulted in health decline. The political Security Apparatuses prevented leadership of Altagheer, among of them, MPs Ahmed Saif Hashid, Mohammad Alassaly, Abdulbari Aldughaish, Dr. Mohammad Saleh, from paying a visit to Yahya, however, they had a prior permission by General prosecutor. He is being tried at the Specialized Penal Court on backgrounds of Southern peaceful protests, threatened to heavy punishment, possibly execution.

Yasser Alwazeer:

Yasser Alwazeer was arrested on 5th June 2008, and abducted by unknown figures, without be known about him up till now. He was constantly threatened with an arrest or disappearance by figures from the political Security of Old Sana’a.

Mohammad Mohammad Almaqaleh:

Mohammad Mohammad Almaqaleh , a political activist and founding member, was arrested at 22 April. 2008, due to a laughing claimed to be an insult to justice, from the inside of the court while attending the trial session of Alkhaiwani, illegally prevented from being visited at the precautionary Jail, subjected to unjustified threats due to opposing attitudes towards the authority’s choices embodied in solving its problems by resorting to fighting opponents (Sada’a War) or to fighting his fellow journalists, who suffer constant attacks. It is confirmed that a sentence would be issued against him during this month (June 2008) since the case is being seized by the court.

Mueen Ibraheem Almutawakil:

Mueen Ibraheem Almutawakil, a founding member, was driving his car in front of Sana’a University of Science with his sister and daughter, on 27 April, when two cars (Hilux), on of them has a number of 2- 47690, faced them, with figures coming out raising guns. He was taken coercively into the cars to an unknown place, and up till now he is still hidden.

Ali Hussein Aldailami:

Ali Hussein Aldailami, a rights activist, Secretary General of Altagheer. His house was surrounded and attacked on 26 of May 2008, family and children were frightened by Security forces. Ali had already been abducted at Sana’a Airport when he was travelling to a press conference in Denmark with the result that he did not participated, and spent more than a month in prison, coercive hiding.

Mohammad Ahmed Albuthaigi:

Mohammad Ahmed Albuthaigi, rights activist and a founding member, was arrested for three hours on 26 of May 2008 by Police Personnel while covering events of Aden University Students’ sit-in . His camera and mobile were both taken, receiving verbal abuses, threatened to be hidden in dark jails, due to journalistic activities.

Hassan Ali Aldhailami:

Hassan Ali Aldhailami, a founding member, and rights activist was subjected to an attack and arrest for a day on 26 of May 2008 when the Security forces attacked his brother’s house.

Ali Mohammad Muqbil Alaod:

Ali Mohammad Muqbil Alaod, a founding member and a local council member in Aldhalea governorate, was arrested in 22 May. 2008 by the Central Security Forces upon objecting repressing detainees . He was freed six hours later after he had been tortured.

Yahya Mohammad Alshawbagi:

Yahya Mohammad Alshawbagi, a founding member, a former local council member in Aldhalea, was arrested at 10 P.M on 5 March2008, imprisoned for two days on backgrounds of Southern peaceful protests.

Anees Thabet Mohammad:

Anees Thabet Mohammad, Founding member of Altagheer, is a delegated professor at Radfan Faculty of Education, was and still subjected to security inconveniences at his place of work and residence .

At last, we hope all local, regional and global human rights organizations be jointly liable with Al-Tagheer members attack-victims, and to exert pressure on the regime for releasing the detainees and stating the fate of the coercively-hidden members .

We further hold the authority accountable for all these attacks, we also would like to remind that rights can never be ignored even if it is too late.

Issued by:

Altagheer Organization for Rights and Freedom Defense

Sana’a - 16 June. 2008

Written By: (YEMEN POST STAFF)
Article Date: April 21, 2008

Kan’an Association for Palestine organized on April 17an oratory festival to mark the Palestrina prisoner’s day.

In her speech, Minister of Human Rights Huda Al-Ban stressed the importance of issue and hinted that the prisoner’s day is a historic day especially when it is a symbol for adherence to the home’s soil.

Al-Ban called on the United Nations and the international community to seek a suitable mechanism that ensures the protection of Palestinian people and puts a limit for the Israeli imperial and colonial practices.

For his part, the association’s chairman Yahya Mohammed Abdullah Saleh indicated reviewed the wrongful practices and situation in which Palestinian prisoners live in Israeli prisons.

Saleh revealed that there are over 12,000 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons where they are subjected to suppressive acts, maintaining the day is timed with the sixth anniversary for the association’s establishment.

Deputy Head of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine Abdul Rahim Maluh delivered speech in which he praised the role Yemen, people and government, plays in support of Palestinian people and prisoners.

Further, the participants watched a documentary film in which the sufferings of prisoners were depicted.

Yemen Post:

Yemen Post: How do you evaluate the Judicial Authorities in Yemen, and are they independent?

Khaled Al-Anesi: Many judges in Yemen are being dominated by the regime and they see themselves as employees. They don’t feel the power they have and they are being administered through phone calls by the authorities. Moreover, most judiciary positions are held by army commanders and they are not self sufficient.

YP: Are you saying that judges in Yemen are not qualified, and are only members of the army?

KA: I am saying that judges in Yemen don’t have enough qualifications, and they are not chosen by their skills, but rather by how much they are willing to listen to authorities and their loyalty to the government. Judges in Yemen are a tool in the hands of officials.

YP: Why did President Saleh charge you with Al-Moyyad’s case though you were not known then?

KA: It is clear that I was well known to the president and that is why he gave me the case. What is strange is that I was asked the same question by one of the American prosecutors. I told them that the president does not trust those close to him, so he gave the duty to someone outside his circle.

(Read on …)

Politicized Ministry Rejects Legal License Application

almotamar.net - An official source at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour said Thursday that the ministry did not finalise procedures of license application for the establishment of the so-called ” Change Organisation for Defending Human Rights and Freedoms ” applied by the member of parliament Hamad Saif Hashid.

The same source told almotamar.net that the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour actually rejected a request for giving license to the organistion because it lost its right to license because of its violation of legal conditions and criteria for such organisations and its name does not represent but a devised movement, no more.

On the other hand the source praised the organisations that follow the law for private societies and organisations in Yemen and they seek to enter the process of civil society through rightful and correct ways without violating the basics and criteria.

Non-government organizations: pro forma bodies searching for funds

By: Adel al-Salwi
Translated by: Fuad Rajih
(Saba) - The number of non-governmental organizations working in Yemen in political, human rights, cultural and social fields increased during last three years.

According to the most recent statistics, more than 5000 civil organizations in the country rely on collecting donations to carry out charitable and anti-bad costumes activities and the projects of combating chewing qat and corruption.

Sociology Professor at Sana’a University Abdul Hakim Saeed al-Shrjabi who conducted a study on the role of the non-governmental organizations in strengthening political and economic progress, said that the activities of the 5000 non-governmental organizations officially announced during last ten years were focused only on the issuing and distributing their statements to papers as way to prove their existence in the society.

(Read on …)

She is related to presidential advisor Abdulkarim al-Eryani somehow. I forget how: sister, niece something.

Information Undersecretary criticises organisations’ dealing with woman issues
Tuesday, 19-February-2008
almotamar.net - Chairwoman of Yemen Women Federation Ramziya al-Eryany on Monday called for fighting media instruments that have rendered the woman goods for promoting commercial products and criticised styling the woman’s image and dealing with her issues in a reversed manner.

Al-Eryany also demanded the media the communication of accurate information to the new generation, indicating that her call for supporting issues of the woman was governed by religious and national values and constants which cannot be violated.

During a workshop on supporting the issues of the woman in the media organized by the Yemen Women Federation and Care organisation, al-Eryany criticised the media instruments that deformed the image of the woman in Yemen and the Arab countries.

She said the Islam religion preserves the woman’s decency and honoured her and made her equal to the man and an example for all non-Muslim women.

At the same workshop the Information Undersecretary Fathiya Abdulwasie stressed the necessity of sowing the correct concepts on the woman that the media should deal with accordingly. She indicated that what concerns her ministry in this question is represented in presenting all the issues preoccupying the society via offering a balanced image of the woman out of the national and religious constants.

Ms Abdulwasie affirmed her ministry’s activation of partnership with the civil society organisations but expressed her regret that the civil society organisations did not deal in depth with the issues of the woman and in many cases are sufficing their interest in news coverage of the woman’s activities, calling in this regard fore clarity of the media message and drawing up plans for the audience and decision-makers.

They wrote about unauthorized civil society organizations.

Round-up:

Saba News

Prosecutor warns media of report on al-Ayyam issue

[15 February 2008]

SANA’A, Feb. 15 (Saba)- The Public Prosecutor’s Office has warned mass media of covering the issue of Yemen’s leading independent newspaper al-Ayyam, the state-run 26sep. has said.

The office asked the media not to conduct any reports that may affect the judiciary operations in the country, pointing the issue has been before the prosecution to be trialed according to the law.

Late Tuesday tribesmen attacked the paper’s editor-in-chief whose escorts returned fire in the incident, killing one of the attackers and wounding another.

After the shootout the editor instructed to close off the paper and seek asylum abroad.

Yemeni security forces lay siege to editor’s home
New York, February 12, 2008—The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned that Yemeni security forces have laid siege to the home of a newspaper editor following an attack by gunmen on his home and newspaper’s offices in the Yemeni capital, Sana’a.

Bashraheel Bashraheel, the foreign news editor at the independent daily Al-Ayyam, told CPJ that two vehicles carrying 12 gunmen attacked the paper’s compound, which includes the home of Editor-in-Chief Hisham Bashraheel, his father, on Al-Siteen Road around 1:15 p.m. today. A statement issued by Al-Ayyam said that at the time of the attack, Bashraheel’s father, Hisham Bashraheel, his wife, son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren were in the house, and a number of staff were in the offices. A gunfight broke out with machine guns between the assailants and the paper’s guards. Four of the assailants were injured; one of them died later in hospital, according to the statement.

(Read on …)

Al-Sahwa

January 17, 2008 – National Organization for Human Rights and Freedom (HOOD) revealed that al-Jrahi police has arrested its member Ali Solaiman.

HOOD condemned this act, pointing out that Solaiman was arrested as he listed a violation committed by the director of al-Jrahi Police Station against a citizen.

HOOD explained that Solaiman was deprived from eating or drinking under orders of the police director.

It is worth reclaiming that the director had dispatched security members to arrest Solaiman after he listed a violation and informed the organization of that.

A lot of this probably has to do with corruption in the embassies. But still, the regime must have quite an extensive network of operatives established overseas.

Al-Sahwa:

January 7, 2008- Chairman of the Yemeni Organization of Defending Expatriates Amin Al-Shoaibi has listed 250 violations committed by Yemeni authorities against Yemeni expatriates.

Al-Shabi affirmed to Alsahwa.net that the violations committed by Yemeni authorities are more than those committed by hosting countries.

Al-Shoaibi further added that the organization would issue a report about Yemeni migration around the world and focus on violations in hosting countries.

That is their job, bringing transparency and accountability to public officials, a fundamental component of democracy. al-Sahwa:

January 7, 2008 – Alliance of Anti-corruption journalists has approved a schedule of its activities for 2008 which will start with launching its electronic website, www.yemenjac.net, according to a statement of the alliance.

The alliance will monitor and release all corruption cases and complains published in papers and websites after making sure of its truth.

In a statement, the alliance explained that it would begin papering it’s the first annual report regarding corruption cases mentioned in Yemeni press of 2007.

The alliance elected the former chairman of the Yemeni Journalist Association Abdul-Bari Taher as a spokesman.

Are they ever all going to get together?

al-Sahwa

January 5, 2008-Workers of Aden Refinery Company stroke Saturday, demanding the second stage of wages strategy and professional allowances.

The two-hour strike caused paralyzing of ships supply in the port and stopping of work in all the company’s joints including its branches.

January 5, 2008 - Chairman of the Yemeni Teacher Association, Ahmed al-Rabahi, has affirmed that YTA is preparing to arrange an all-out strike in the coming days because the government evades meet the teachers’ their just demands; ;professional allowances, annual bonuses and ending all deductions and illegal levies that hit teachers under any various causes.

On the other hand, Aden’s public schools are keeping on a comprehensive strike for the fifth day.

Schools witnessed a large vacuum in which majority of students, especially high schools’ students, did not attend expressing solidarity with their teachers.

The Secretary General of the YTA in Aden had confirmed earlier that the strike came in response to non-implementation of teachers demands.

Yemen Times
-

Hadhramout workers go on Strike

Following calls by the labor association of Hadhramout, numbers of workers and civil servants have wore the red batches on their arms in protest for ignoring their demands for the implementation of laws 69/2005 and law 239/2005 for civil services, which includes a significant payrise which they were promised that will be implemented before the end of 2007.

handy article from the Yemen Times

Current efforts to modernize the civil societies law is facing stiff opposition from the government. The government claims that this law, at its inception in 2001, was the most progressive civil societies law in the region, and that the government has ratified numerous international treaties which regulate the operation of civil societies.

Since 2001, over five thousand civil society organizations have been licensed. However, the majority of these are charities and social-action organizations, with around a hundred active organizations working towards political reform and expanding democratic development and human rights.

In fact, activists involved in democratic development and human rights claim that the current law does not provide an empowering legal framework that allows them to pursue their activities. Apparently, when the current law was conceptualized, emphasis was given to associations, cooperatives, and charities, while little understanding of the legal demands of human rights organizations. Thereby calling for modernizing the law.

There are several loopholes in the relationship between human rights organizations and the regime, which are a direct result of the gap in the current legal framework. For example, a prominent human rights organization has recently called for establishing a ‘people’s court’ where obstacles to the political participation of women are prosecuted. The court is a publicity stunt in order to draw attention to the obstacles and discuss how to overcome them, however, the current legal framework outlaws such activities.

Legislators state that it isn’t the law to blame, it is the interpretation and implementation of the law that is the real problem. Regardless of how many laws and regulations Yemeni legislators and parliament members formulate and approve, the relevant government agencies will implement only parts of the law which they are comfortable with. The Ministry of Social affairs, which is responsible for licensing Civil Society organizations has denies many their licenses to operate, and revoked other organizations’ licenses in violation of the law.

It’s not merely about the modernizing the legal framework, but more importantly, it is about modernizing the minds of the persons regulating the implementation of the law.

Al-Sahwa:

November 19, 2007 -Security forces of Abyan province arrested on Monday scores of political activities leaders and participators of a popular massive rally in Loadr district.

In other words, hundreds of al-Dhali governorate liberators and martyrs families rallied to take part in a foundational meeting to elect a liberation association of liberators and martyrs families.

Assaulting Lawyers, just like Pakistan

Aden lawyers protest against increasing security attacks November 19, 2007 -Aden lawyers have denounced increasing security attacks against them, demanding, in the main time, to hold the involved policemen who arrest orders had issued against accountable.

The Secretary-General of Aden Lawyer Syndicate, Saleh Deban, said that the protest was arranged due to the arrogance of security men who lately assaulted the advocates Najeb al-Jahafi and Walid Mohram , members of ALS. He added that infringements against attorneys were increasingly repeated by security men, asking Aden’s authority to impose the law and constitution against the involved according to law.

Yay! A sucess story. This could be replicated all over Yemen. They could put Fatima Yaslam in charge and make it a national program.

ADEN, NewsYemen

The Aden-based Society for Children Protection could convince 300 students in Al-Boraika district to return to their schools and stop fishing.

The society has achieved this year an intensive awareness campaign targeted working children and families in the coastal areas of Al-Boraika as it has explained dangers of child labor at sea, said Fatima Yaslam, chairwoman of the society.

Yaslam said the Social Care Fund society and offices of education and public health have helped her society convince families to bring back their children to schools.

The Office of Education in Aden has exempted the children from tuition fees and the Public Health Office has ordered to give them free-of-charge health services at the government hospitals, so families and children felt satisfied, said Yaslam.

Yaslam urged the Labor and Social Affairs Office to pay more attention to the issue of child labor in different utilities and to coordinate with Chamber of Trade and syndicates to help working children, particularly those under 15 years, give up labor and join classrooms as their legal right.

But it does a very good imitation of one.

Yemen Times

Yemen held presidential and local council elections in September 2006. President Ali Abdullah Saleh was reelected with 77 percent of the vote, and his party, the General People’s Congress, overwhelmingly won the municipal elections. The balloting was marred by some violence and opposition accusations of fraud. Serious press freedom violations, including the closure of newspapers and detention of journalists, also accompanied the election season.

(Read on …)

Me too.

almotamar.net - The Arab Sisters Forum for HUMAN Rights (SAF), one of the most active civil societies in Yemen, welcomed what was included in the president’s initiative regarding allocation of 15% quota for women in the parliament and called on the Joint Meeting Parties not to announce their reservation on that article of the initiative or taking negative stand regarding the women quota in the parliament.

The SAF mentioned it has received with interest the presidential initiative announced by president of the republic on 24 September 2007 whose 8th article included adoption of a positive allocation of 15% in parliament for women and to be stipulated in the election law.

(Read on …)

Yemen Times

Social Capital is a very new concept to Yemen, it stands alone as an isolated understanding of Yemen limited to several micro-developmental organizations, known also as charities. Although splendid in numbers, according to statistics by the Ministry of Social Affairs, little impact do the people of Yemen see as a result of over 3,000 registered charities, with an exception of a handful charities which have a contribution towards poverty reduction in the Country.

Although poverty in Yemen has been reduced from 41.8 percent in 1998 to 35.5 percent in 2005, according to the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation. Ironically, the key issue is that 41.8 percent of the population in 1998 was 7.5 million people, while 35.5 percent of the population in 2005 was 7.7 million people, considering the annual population growth rate of 3.4 percent.

The Holy month of Ramadhan is an excellent occasion to study the role of charities in building social capital and reducing poverty, Most recently Al-Islah Charitable Society for Social Welfare has proclaimed that its activities directly affect half a million people. Since its establishment in 1990 in Hodieda governorate, which is the most impoverished governorate in the country, Al-Islah charity has grown to become the country’s largest charitable organization, with operations ranging from Orphan care and vocational training to reproductive health and humanitarian assistance.

(Read on …)

Shura chairman: Ex-Parliamentarians Organization embodies Yemen democratic move

[10 September 2007]

SANA’A, (Saba)- Chairman of the Shura Council Abdul-Aziz Abdul-Ghani described Monday the Ex-Parliamentarians Organization (EPO)as one of the core pillars of democratic system in Yemen as it represents a public pluralism and an active participation in decision making.

In the foundation ceremony of the EPO on Monday, Abdul-Ghani expressed his pleasure to attend this important event, wishing the organization to have positive contributions to building the modern Yemen and reinforcing basics of the democratic pluralism system.

He called on the organization to present a good example for the civil and national activity which accords with principles and goals of the Yemeni Revolution and values.

Members of the EPO should first prioritize reinforcing trust of people in a more prosperous future, Abdul-Ghani said, wishing them success in their task.

Al-Sahwa

Release of 50 gas tankers in Shabwa

September 4, 2007- Provisional government sources in Shabwa province told “Alsahaw.net” that security forces controlled a blockade which had been installed by tribes were demanding to release the retired general ,Nasser al-Nowba, who had been held on Monday in Aden.

They affirmed that government forces attacked the blockade and released the 50 held gas tankers which had been seized by tribes.

Moreover, several barriers were installed in Shawa province to protest the kidnapping of the general Nasser al-Nowba .

For its part, the Islah party renewed its call for the Shabawa people to adopt peaceful struggle, not armed struggle.

September 5, 2007- Provincial sources in Shabwa governorate told “Alsahwa.net” that two soldiers were wounded on Wednesday in shootout between security forces and tribes protesting arrests of demonstrators who were protesting Saturday against price hikes in Aden and Hadramout provinces.

The sources added that a tribal mediation led to ceasefire, but they did not explain whether that mediation managed to release gas tankers had been seized by the tribes.

August 28, 2007- Thousands of people in the Yemeni capital, Sana’a, rallied before the cabinet ,protesting soaring prices ,deteriorated public services, violating of rights and freedoms and mistaken policies adopted by the ruling party’s consequent governments.

(Read on …)

Breaking news

Updates on the kidnapping of the Yemeni Journalist
Abdulkarim Al- khaiwani,

Sana’a Yemen

27 August 2007

11 pm at Sana’a local time

From Sisters Arab Forum for Human Right (SAF):

Three hours following the kidnapping, Al-khaiwani was
admitted to the private Modern National Hospital in
Sana’a and treated from brutal wounds. conflicted on
him by his kidnappers .

At 2:00 p.m today 27th of September 2007 Al-khaiwani
was kidnapped from Al-zubari str.(center of the
Capital Sana’a) put in a Toyota Land Cruiser. When he
attempted to scream for help from his fellow friends
journalists Sami Ghalib Editor in Chief of Al-Needa’a,
an independent weekly newspaper and Nabil Subai,
Executive Editor in Chief of al Share’a, a weekly
independent newspaper, the kidnappers threatened to
kidnap them too.

Al-Kaiwani was blind folded and pushed into the
bottom of the car where the kidnappers put their feet
on his body and kicked him until they reached a remote
area in bani Sah7m District at Khawlan Governorate
(15 kilometers from the Capital Sana’a). In the Car
Al-kaiwani was asked repeatedly which hand he used to
write his articles referring to his last article
published in al Needa’a Newspaper where he disclosed
bravely on the violations against the prisoners, the
inefficiency and corruption of the Judicial System and
the law enforcement institutions in Yemen. Then one of
the kidnappers hit him with his fist breaking his eye
glasses and wounding his eyelid. He was then
threatened that if he continues writing against his
“masters” he and his fwife and three children will be
killed. Putting his finger in a metal finger cutter
the kidnappers were arguing among themselves whether
the orders were to cut or break his fingers. After
conferring with their boss through the mobile
telephone it was settled to torture him only.

Arriving to the area of Bani Sah7m, Al-Khaiwani was
pulled out of the car beaten and put in a grove where
the kidnappers told him that he is on an edge of a
cliff and that if he moved he will fall down and die.
Before leaving him Al-khaiwani’s mobile phone and
money was taken from him.

Al-kahaiwani struggled to remove his blindfold, when
he succeeded he found himself in a grove not a cliff.
He walked and met women farmers who told him that he
was in Bani Sahm District of Khawlan Governorate, and
advices to continue walking to the highway which is
closer than the Shaikh’s , Community Leader, house .
Taking their advice, he walked for almost 2
Kilometers until he reached the Highway, found a lift
and was taken to a local hospital at Dar Silm, a
suburb of Sana’a.

There he was treated, and was able to call his fellow
friend Journalist Sami Ghalib, who is also the
Director of the Rights and Freedoms Committee of the
Yemeni Journalists Syndicate. Three journalists were
sent to Dar silm hospital and took him to a private
National Modern Hospital in Sana’a, The x-rays shows
no broken bones, however, bruises and wounds were
found in his left eye, right ear, abdomen, hands, and
swollen fingers. Later the hospital was crowded with
many of his fellow journalists, HRs activists, MPs and
politicians from opposition,

This incident is not the first that happens to a
Yemeni journalist, and apparently is not going to be
the last.

Al-Kaiwani is a journalist well known as a believer in
democracy, freedom of expression who vigorously
defends human rights protection and fights against
violations. He exposes corruption embedded in the
structure in Yemen’s institutions. Al-Khaiwani does
not deserve to be emotionally, psychologically and
physically tortured, scared and continuously lives
under serious life threat.

We appeal to the international community to show
solidarity, support and document this incident in
their reports on Yemen and to exert genuine pressure
on the Yemeni government to practice real democracy
and protect its citizens, particularly, journalists
and human rights defenders from those who can not
tolerate freedom of expression; them being part of the
security institutions or not.

As they are holding a democracy conference, there’s a bill sent to Parliament that kills free speech. Maybe they’ll take 15 years to pass it like the gun bill.

In the absence of political will to reform, public pressure can sometimes be an effective catalyst, but not if the public is muzzled.

The regime smells a revolution coming and keeps doing all the things that are going to provoke it.

Yemeni Government Introduces Bill To Jail Critics Of President

SAN’A, Yemen (AP)–Critics of Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh could receive up to 15 years in prison under a proposed law introduced by the government and sent to parliament on Sunday.

Under the draft law, ‘agitators’ could also face a death penalty if their anti-government incitement causes deaths during protests.

Yemeni newspapers said the draft law also imposes severe prison sentences on journalists, writers and rights advocates who ‘incite’ anti-government activities including protests. These acts, according to the draft law, undermine national security and are harmful to social peace.

Critics immediately blasted the law as a violation of freedom of expression.

“The government is retreating from its promises to expand the freedoms and halt restrictive measures,” said Sami Ghalib, head of the Freedoms Committee at the Yemeni Press Syndicate.

Thousands of Yemenis have taken to the streets in several cities around the country this month to protest government corruption and rising prices.

The demonstrations, organized by a coalition of five opposition parties, drew a sharp rebuke from authorities, who said the gatherings didn’t serve development and stability.

Saleh has said the planned protests intended to “prepare the streets for disorder, tension and create bottlenecks which do not serve the economy, stability and security.”

Yemen, a poor tribal country at the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula has been struggling with poverty. The central bank reported revenue of $1.5 billion in oil sales in the first four months of 2007 but most is believed to have been spent on armaments and security.

Unemployment in Yemen is at 36.8%, according to government statistics.

Thats funny.

26 Sept

The First Sana’a Forum for Democracy in the Arab World is inaugurated its agenda on Wednesday which will be held, under the patronage of President Saleh, over two days under the title “towards better democratic future”.

This forum is considered the pillar of the Arab Democratic Association’s activity which was announced its nascence by Arab politicians elite in Sana’a mid-last June. The forum is organized by the Association in collaboration with the Forum of Bridges Cultures, the National Center for Human Rights and Democratic Development, Oman Center for Human Rights Studies and the Arab Union for Arab Women.

This forum is gaining a special importance relating to the topics which will be discussed to crystallize the strategy of the Arab Democratic Association that can contribute effectively in promoting democratization in the Arab world in various directions, and activate the role of Arab civil society to stabilize principles and notions of democracy, the head of the Forum Bridges Cultures and chairman of the Arab preparatory committee for the forum, Dr. AbdulKarim Al-Aryani.

(Read on …)

Thats quite a turn out.

News Yemen

TAIZ, NewsYemen

While leaders of opposition parties, Joint Meeting Parties, try to gather their supporters in Taiz province for more protests against what they said “price hikes, corruption and low level of services, leaders in the General People’s Congress accused them of provoking people and seeking to make riots so that investors think that Yemen is not stable.

The JMP’s office in Taiz stated that people ran to the streets to peacefully raise the slogan “No Life Without Water”, “Stop Fatal Price Hikes” and “No New Yemen With Corruption”.

The protest was safe, but some leaders in the GPC have shown anger with it, especially at the time Yemenis streets witness protests in different places of the country against different issues.

(Read on …)

President Saleh to select nine judges who will comprise SCER. Are they joking? Getting ready for Ahmed?

Al-Sahwa

August 01,2007-The Joint Meeting Parties has rejected a decision endorsed by the government on Wednesday aiming to amend the election law.

The head of JMP supreme council, Yaseen Saeed Noaman, said the government’s decision is a breach of the dialogue principles between the JMP and GPC.

“The ruling party carries responsibility for any breakdown of the dialogue” Said he.

“The government decision is a clear-cut violation of the dialogue principles; forming of the supreme committee for election is an issue involved in dialogue agenda” he added.

Noman further said that the decision absolutely contradicts the European Union Election Observation Mission’s recommendations.

The cabinet had approved last Tuesday a draft to amend the articles 19, 21 and 22 of the election and referendum law and referred these amendments to the parliament.

According to amendments, the supreme committee for election and referendum will be formed from 9 judges chosen by the president from among 15 judges appointed by the Higher Judiciary Council.

No its all fine, just fine.

Almotamar.net - Yemen’s minister of legal affairs Dr Rashad al-Rassas said Wednesday the government has the right to approve any legal amendments and refer them to the parliament. He pointed out that approval of the government of a draft amendment to elections and referendum law that the government sent to parliament on Tuesday came on basis of agreement of principles signed by the political parties in June 2006.

Minister al-Rasas added to almotamar.net that drafting the amendment came in accordance with the agreement of principles among the political parties, affirming that the approach the legal end of the period of the Supreme Commission for election next November was the reason that urged the government to adopt the amendment.

The minister added that the amendment of the election law is within the frame of the government implementation of its programme and the platform of the president of the republic both of which contain amendments on many draft laws in including the elections law, adding that they governed by defined dates.

It is to be mentioned that the political parties represented in the dialogue have not abided by naming their representatives to the committee whish was agreed on undertaking drafting amendments of the electoral law except for the General People’s Congress that was the only party to name a representative in it.

The government approved on Tuesday a draft amendment of the elections and referendum law so that it includes the formation of the higher commission for elections composed of nine judges to be appointed by a residential decree.

There’s a protest scheduled for August 2 and the day before, Aden security bans unlicensed demonstratons.

Almotamar.net - Security committee in Aden governorate decided Wednesday not to allow gatherings or marches or demonstrations but after obtaining necessary official licenses issued by competent authorities that are legally authorized.

An official source at the security committee in the governorate told almotamar.net prevention those activities comes in accordance with the law and the text of article 3 of the law on organising marches and demonstrations No. 29 for the year 2003.

The security committee asked the citizens in the governorate to observe implementation provisions of the law, pointing out it has taken necessary legal measures for facing anyone wishes to impinge on or tamper with security, stability, social peace and public safety.

al-Noba urges no sectarian slogans.

July 31-7- 2007 - The head of the Retirees Coordinating council, Brigadier Nassir al-Nawba called on all military and civilian retirees to take part in a peaceful protesting activates which are set to be arranged on the next Thursday at the freedom square in Aden .

He called all participants to be bound by the laws and orders and not to shout any sectarian slogans during the protests.

He also called all ambassadors accredited to Yemen to participate with retirees, demanding UN office in Sana’a and human rights organizations to oversee the peaceful activates and put pressures on the government to not curb them.

SANA’A, July 29 — A number of women journalists and civil society organization activists staged a sit-in on Wednesday before the Parliament in protest of discrimination against them.

Women Journalists Without Chains chairman Tawkel Karman noted that she came with other women to denounce the discrimination exercised by the government as it unblocked all news services provided through GSM companies with the exception of Women Journalists Without Chains news service because it is released by women.

Karman further hinted that it is time to support women especially when a woman is capable of possessing media means and has the ability to make the news, however, the government works against this wish.

She viewed the non-response of the government to the Parliament resolution calling for unblocking Without Chains news services to be evidence that we live in a uncontrolled state, where there is no meaning for the parliament’s unanimity or its resolutions.

In a copy of a released statement, Women Journalists Without Chains expressed its disappointment over the government not unblocking its news services, considering the non-acceptance of the government to give it the license to have a paper and the block of its news service as a loathsome discrimination, particularly when it deprives women from serving the society and raising the awareness of its members.

The statement also called on Parliament to work for the implementation of its resolution issued on July 16, which dictated lifting the block imposed on Without Chains news service.

Meanwhile, the organization called all women activists to participate in the women’s demonstration due to be staged before the Parliament next Sunday. They also called on media outlets to participate in covering the demonstration in defense of women’s rights. They further urged Yemeni Journalists Syndicate to work in removing the block imposed on their news service.

The sit-in scheduled for Sunday before the Parliament will include women sending letters to the members of Parliament demanding them to take a serious stand on the continued censorship of Without Chains. The women will then head to Freedom Square, before the Cabinet building, requesting implementation of Parliament’s resolution.

Yemen Times:

SANA’A, July 4 — Three different sit-ins were staged on Tuesday in Freedom Square across the Cabinet’s headquarters. Masses took part in the sit-in including Journalists, University students, political activists, even Taxi drivers and kidney patients association.

This sit-in was the eighth in solidarity with Women Journalists without Chains organization and Al-Nass Establishment for Press and Publication. They also demanded that the Minster of Information stops suppressing, blocking and censoring media in Yemen.

The demonstrators also denounced the terrorist act that targeted Spanish tourists in Mareb and stressed the importance of freeing mass media in order to be able to fight extremism and extravagance.

They further voiced their solidarity with journalist Abdulkarim Al-Khaiwani who was abducted by security forces a week ago in violation of the law, together with trailing him in illegal and unconstitutional State Penal Court and fabricating fake accusations about him.

Chairwoman of Women Journalists without Chains Organization called on demonstrators to continue their sit-ins till their demands are fully achieved and also announced the launch of the semiannual report on press violations in Yemen.

Meanwhile, a second sit-in was staged in the same area by kidneys patients who demanded the Health Ministry stop prescribing fake and uncertified medicines which are imported by particular businessmen in a corruption scam involving the ministry, as these medicines will result in catastrophic impact on the health of patients.

The administrative assistant of Al-Rahmah Association for Liver and Kidneys Patients stressed that their demonstration aims to attract the attention of decision makers to the practices of the Ministry of Health that pays no attention to Yemeni citizens’ lives; while its main concern is to buy fake medicines at low costs and thus saving the difference to their pockets and earning commissions on the expense of patients.

He added we would like Parliament and the Cabinet to work in halting the deterioration taking place in the Health Ministry as well as halting the massacres against citizens resulting from replacing high quality and effective medicines just to boost the sales of the favored medicines.

The third demonstration was organized by taxi drivers and the unemployed and they demanded that the government takes serious actions in order to provide employment. Taxi drivers demanded that the police stops seizing the taxi vehicles that bear numbers from governorates other than the Capital an Sana’a governorate, saying that any taxi driver should be able to drive his taxi anywhere in the country.

Speaking in the name of drivers, Ali Al-Aswadi of the Taxi drivers association noted they demand the immediate release of their vehicles from the Traffic Administration as these vehicles are only source for their income and livelihood.

Al-Aswadi questioned about the nature of such campaigns that target citizens, hinting it are enough for them to bear the price hikes and over taxation in addition to inflation?

“We are here to ask for our rights in a peaceful way. We are in a democratic country and every one should go with his car wherever he likes and without any restrictions or hindrances, its one unified country for god’s sake, why the authorities is behaving in a separatist way?” cried Al-Aswadi.

The silence dominated the scene and the sadness was clear in the faces of the demonstrators over the incident of Mareb and they decided to send letters of condolences to the victims’ families.

Sana’a, NewsYemen

Development advisor in the German embassy in Sana’a Erian Filman hailed the government’s efforts and measures it has taken to fight corruption such as the establishment of “Anti-corruption Auth