Armies of Liberation

A statement from TAJ regarding al-Ayyam’s guard:

To: Amnesty International
To: The Arabic Human Rights Organisation
To: World Human Rights Organisation

We urgently write to you to condemn the death sentence issued from one of Sana’a courts in the Republic of Yemen on Sunday 11 July 2010 against the political activist Ahmed Omer Alobady who has been in prison since 14th February 2008.

Mr Alobady was wrongly arrested by the occupation Yemeni forces for his politics views towards the Southern Arabia crisis, NOT for any crime that he has committed, in order to intimidate other political activists joining this peaceful movement.

Despite the Yemeni General Attorney’s failure to find any proof against Mr Alobady, he was sentenced to death.

This method is widely used by the Yemeni Government against all Southern Arabia political activists.

As a matter of urgency we would like you and ALL other organisations around the world to act quickly to overturn this unfair judgment.

Southern Democratic Assembly ( TAJ )

12 July 2010

مناشده عاجله
الى منظمة العفو الدوليه الى المنظمه العربيه لحقوق الانسان الى المنظمه الدوليه لحقوق الانسان
نتوجه بهذا النداء العاجل اليكم لادانة الحكم الصادر من احدى المحاكم اليمنيه في صنعاء صباح يوم الاحد 11-7-2010م بحق الناشط السياسي احمد عمر العبادي السجين منذ14 فبراير 2008م الذي كان متواجداً اثناء حادثة الاعتداء على منزل رئيس تحرير صحيفة الأيام الجنوبي هشام باشراحيل في صنعاءوالذي كان حادثاً مدبراً يستهدف نشاطهما السياسي بدرجه أولى ومواقف الرجلين ودورهما المتميز في الحراك الجنوبي لاسكاتهما ومعاقبتهما على مواقفهما الثابته من القضيه العادله للشعب الجنوبي , وتم تدبير هذه ا لمكيده ا لجنائيه حتى يتسنى لحكومة الاحتلال اليمني إلباس القضيه ثوباً جنائياً كما تعود نظام صنعاء اليمني في التعامل مع خصومه السياسيين في العاده وعلى الرغم من ان النيابه العامه اليمنيه لم تتمكن من اثبات التهمه الجنائيه بالقتل لاحمد عمر العبادي . ولم تكتف سلطات صنعاء اليمنيه بالاعتداء على منزل باشراحيل في صنعاء بل قامت قوات الأمن اليمنيه بالاعتداء مرة أخرى على منزل باشراحيل في عدن مما أدى الى قتل حارس منزله وشخصين آخرين . أن كل هذه دلائل بأن هناك استهداف شخصي للرجلين احمد عمر العبادي وهشام باشراحيل .

اننا نطالب منظماتكم وكافة المنظمات الدوليه والانسانيه المهتمه بحقوق الانسان للقيام بحمله دوليه وسرعة التحرك وإدانة هذا الحكم الجائر وايقافه .

التجمع الديمقراطي الجنوبي (تاج ) لندن بتاريخ 11-7-2010م

Alia al Wazir was stopped in the airport en route to a Freedom House conference and prohibited from leaving the country. No male escort (mahram) was the official reason, not that there’s a law on the books to that effect, and its likely due to the trial of her husband, UN employee Walid Sharaf al-Din, charged with communicating with Iran. The National Security can’t prevent al Qaeda from exiting and entering Yemen but they do a whopper of a job on the activists, journalists and civil rights workers. Update: the state hasn’t presented any evidence against al Din and his lawyers demanded the judge recuse himself. The trial has been continually postponed.

al Eshteraki: منعت سلطات مطار صنعاء الدولي زوجة معتقل في الأمن السياسي من السفر إلى بيروت يوم الأحد. Authorities banned Sana’a International Airport wife was detained in the political security of travel to Beirut on Sunday. (Read on …)

Its a rouge regime, in addition to all the war crimes and systemic human rights violations. There is no way to incrementally push Saleh back to the light. What a political embarrassment it would have been for Yemen’s allies if the attempt succeeded. And the Houthis are correct, that’s the standard way Saleh deals with his opponents.

Palestinian Telegraph: Sana’a, Yemen, May 5, 2010 (Pal Telegraph, by Anwar Al-Shoaybi) – The AL-Houthi rebel group has denounced the assassinations attempts by gunmen against a prominent Yemeni opposition leader as a “serious crime”.

“The crime stresses our argument that the regime is seeking to liquidate all those opposing it even in terms of holding different opinion,” Mohammed Abdul Salam, the group’s spokesman, told reporters Wednesday.

“Broadly Speaking, we don’t rule out that a military campaign might be conducted against our brothers affiliated with the Joint Meeting Parties (JMP), and that they might be assaulted, called traitors, and their rights confiscated just the way the regime used to deal with us, as it (the regime) doesn’t want anyone opposing it, even with respect to opinion,” said Abdul Salam. (Read on …)

The National:

The Yemeni state security court in the capital sentenced Hussein Muthana al Akil, a professor at Aden University, to three years in prison for supporting the growing secessionist movement. Fadi Hasan Ba’om, the son of a senior leader in the movement, was given five years for calling for the separation of southern Yemen, instigating civil disorder and violent acts and inciting sectarian division and hatred among the Yemeni people.

The sentences were the latest setback for the southern movement, which is facing increasing pressure from the embattled Yemeni government in Sana’a.

Judge Ridhwan al Namir said al Akil was guilty of publishing “false information and inciting an armed disobedience and committing crimes aimed at harming national unity as well as abusing the president of the republic”. The court said al Akil published articles in which he wrote that “the northern occupation forces are looting the oil of the south”. (Read on …)

Update: He worked for the very good organization, SEYAJ for the protection of children: SEYAJ Organization Condemns the assassination of Muhammad AL-Rboey one of its staff in Hajjah governorate ” a journalist and defender volunteers jurist

SEYAJ Organization for Childhood Protecting
Yemen-Sana’a- New University Sq.
Phone:009671228184
Fax:009671228145
Mobile:00967712020332
Hotline:009671257505
PO Box:5642
E-mail: info@seyaj.org
Website: www.seyaj.org

His family was attacked last Thursday by the same gang and three persons are hospitalized. They don’t do this unless they know they can get away with it. An investigative journalist killed by “a gang” that he had written about. Most criminal enterprises in Yemen are partners with state officials. Mareb Press

قتل اليوم السبت بمحافظة حجة الزميل محمد الربوعي على يد مسلحين. Was killed Saturday province argument colleague Mohamed Rabuai by gunmen. وقالت معلومات إن عصابة إجرامية أقدمت على قتل الربوعي في محافظة حجة على خلفية قضية نشر, مضيفة أن الزميل الربوعي قام بكشف الأعمال الإجرامية لتلك العصابة وتعرض لعدة تهديدات بالتصفية الجسدية. The information that a criminal gang proceeded to kill Rabuai in the province of the argument against the background of the issue of publication, adding that his colleague Rabuai reveal the criminal activities of this gang and subjected to numerous threats of physical liquidation.

وقد تلقت الأوساط الإعلامية اليمنية نبأ مقتل الزميل محمد الربوعي مراسل صحيفة القاهرة المحلية بمديرية بني قيس والذي مثل فاجعة كبيرة للأقلام الحرة بالمحافظة إثر تعرضه لاعتداء آثم من قبل عصابة فجر اليوم على خلفية قضايا نشر صحفية. Has received among the media of the killing of a fellow Yemeni Mohammad Rabuai reporter Cairo local Department Bani Qais, who represented the great tragedy of the free pens to maintain he was exposed to a vicious assault by a gang at dawn today against the background of deployment issues a press release.

Killed while in police custody in Ma’alla

Aden News Agency:

Local sources in Aden – one the largest cities in the south of Yemen- have declared that the political prisoner ( Faris Zeid Abullkareem Tamah ) was killed by the police of Al-Malla’a city in Aden, after being kept there for days, while the circumstances of his death still unknown until this moment. (Read on …)

World Bulletin

A Yemeni provincial opposition politician thought to be active in a southern separatist movement was gunned down in south Yemen, his party and local residents said on Monday.

The Yemeni Socialist Party said Saeed Ahmed Abdullah bin Daoud was shot dead on Friday in the southern town of Zanjibar in Abyan province, adding on its website that the province was in “an unprecedented state of disorder”.

Zanjibar residents said bin Daoud, a member of the Socialist party’s leadership committee in the town, was also involved with southern separatists seeking independence from the central government.

There was no immediate word on the reasons for the killing.

Several outlets and other sources are reporting the murder of former President Ali Nasser Mohammed’s nephew in a cold blooded assassination, story here at Aden Press. Clearly both retribution and a tactic of intimidation.

As the state of Yemen “teeters on the brink of failure”, the government of Yemen is scrambling to hide the unprecedented humanitarian crisis unfolding in the Sa’ada War.

Hundreds of thousands are displaced, starving and beyond the reach of aid groups. Food, water and medicine in the region are under government blockade and at critical levels. Military bombing is indiscriminate and targets inhabited homes, villages, cities as well as rebel hideouts in the mountains.

As a result of the regime’s desperate attempts to limit news reporting, citizens through out Yemen are subject to state violence, intimidation and arbitrary arrests.

Journalists are a frequent target. The independent News Yemen website was hacked in December. “According to the sites US hosting company, the IP of the hacker traces back to the director of the Internet Department in the Ministry of Telecommunication,” a News Yemen statement read. (Read on …)

Its so brutal. Click here for first hand testimony from tortured prisoners.

Amnesty International
PUBLIC STATEMENT
27 November 2009
Index: MDE 31/017/2009

Yemen: Government should announce commitment to tackle ‘widespread’ torture
(Read on …)

What follows is the Arab Sisters Forum press release on the escalating attacks on Amal Basha, head of the organization. She was repeatedly threatened, had a liquid sprayed in her face on the street, the headquarters was broken into and trashed, and the brakes on her car were cut in an assassination attempt.

Triggers for the attacks include advocacy for arbitrarily detained prisoners and a report on torture in Yemen submitted by several Yemeni human rights organizations to the UN which contributed to the UN’s findings on November 19th, expressing “grave concern” and calling for an investigation of unlawful killings (murder) by security forces.

Its actions like these that belie the Saleh regime’s commitment to both democracy and stability and expose the administration as a thuggish mafia whose only goals are staying in power and stealing money. (Read on …)

تواصلا للانتهاكات التي تتعرض لها صحيفة “الأيام” وناشراها رفض المسئولون في مصلحة الهجرة بعدن طلب تجديد جواز سفر تقدم به الأستاذ هشام باشراحيل رئيس تحرير صحيفة “الأيام” إليهم يطلب فيه تجديد جواز سفره الذي انتهت صلاحيته في شهر يونيو من هذا العام .
ورفض المسئولون في إدارة الهجرة والجوازات التجديد بناءً على أوامر صدرت إليهم من مدير أمن محافظة عدن العميد عبد الله عبده قيران .
ويأتي رفض التجديد تواصلا لحملة استهداف شخصية لآل باشراحيل لا تستند إلى أي نص قانوني، حيث أصدر رئيس مصلحة الهجرة والجوازات والجنسية بتاريخ 12 مايو 2009 قرارا يقضي بمنع كلا من هشام باشراحيل رئيس تحرير صحيفة “الأيام” ونجله هاني باشراحيل رئيس تحرير صحيفة “الأيام الرياضي” من مغادرة البلاد والقبض عليهما في حال ما إذا حاولوا ذلك عبر المنافذ الرسمية للبلد.
(Read on …)

I think President Ali Saleh is insane,a delusional dissembling megalomaniac who believes his own lies. Perhaps he’s a “borderline personality.” That would fit, considering his disconnect with reality, the perpetual claims of victimization and his complete failure to take responsibility for the outcome of any of his actions.

al Sahwa – The supreme council of the Joint Meeting Parties condemned what it called “fierce media attacks” and threats against its spokesman Naif al-Qanis.

JMP demanded that authorities to bring repeated media intimidations against its spokesman and Al-Haq party to an end, bringing the authorities responsible for al-Qanis’s safety.

JMP’s supreme council discussed arrests carried out against political activists including Moamad al-Obdil who was arrested Sunday in Aden and Abdul-Rahman al-Sharafi who was arrests on Tuesday on Sana’a, expressing its solidarity with the activists.

This is the third Southern leader killed in cold blood this year. Thousands of demonstrators were arrested and dozens killed since the movement began in 2007. On June 28, in Abyan , security opened fired on the protesters again. Yesterday, security authorities of Aden province arrested (kidnapped?) leaders, Brigadier General Ali Mohammed Al-Saadi and Brigadier General Qassim Aldaari, triggering new protests. ( English here.)Today, a cold blooded murder.

Soutanlgnoub: Friday Morning 03/07/09 Report on the assassination of Ahmad Ajam President of the National Council of Aqqan

The Occupation forces proceeded from Al-Anad, this morning to break into the house of Ali Ahmed, the president of The National Council for the liberation, independence and restoration of the South, in Aqqan – Al-Musaymar in the Lahj Governorate. They used lived ammo on him and showered his body with bullets, until he fell to his death, right in front of the eyes of his children and family members.

In response to this act, the citizens of Musaymar blocked the main road that connects Aden to Tai’z to express their anger, denunciation and condemnation of this barbaric criminal act, and demanding that those terrorists be prosecuted.

And in the mean time the armed forces of the occupation distributed heavy weapons along the Aden-Tai’z line, as well as on the hills overlooking Aqqan.

Translated: Rasha Rashed
Source: Sout al ganoub

There have been several reports of new weaponry shipped to the South in advance of the protests.

Yemen’s judiciary is a tool of political vengence.

This is the same brutal dictatorship that is now promising to solve all problems by empowering the GPC dominated local councils, but has not yet changed the electoral laws as promised in 2006.

Sahwa Net – The Supreme Council of the Joint Meeting Parties has called human rights and freedom organizations to stand against an unfair sentence of death against three of Islah’s representatives in poll centers during the presidential and local council elections held in 2006.

Khalid Nahshal, Mabkhoot Nahshal and Abdu Nahshal were sentenced to death last week on charges of killing an officer and a soldier in crossfire during the presidential and local council elections led held in 2006.

In a statement, JMP said that the sentence was a settlement of political accounts and political pressures were practiced on justice and there were several violations to judiciary.

“The sentence was issued inside the jail, not in a court and that apparent evidence of legal violations” said the statement.

A hostage might be a better term, trying to apply pressure to his father. At least he’s an adult. Sometimes they take kids 12 years old.

PUBLIC AI Index: MDE 31/006/2009 05 May 2009 UA 119/09 Incommunicado detention/Fear of torture or other ill treatment/ Possible prisoners of conscience

YEMEN Qassim ‘Askar Jubran (m), retired officer and former Yemeni ambassador

Ahmad Muhammad Ba Mu’allam (m)

Fadi Ba’oom (m)

(Read on …)

Aden Press is reporting that Saleh called the former president of the PDRY, Ali Salem al Beedh, and threatened to kill him.

Al Beedh left Oman and apparently is in Austria, evoking Saleh’s ire and fear. Saleh told him, we know where you are.

Sanaa today threatened physical liquidation and Albied do not retreat from the independence

Vienna – London, “Aden press,” Special: 9-5 – 2009

Yemeni authorities have today carried out a telephone conversation with President Ali Salem Albied in the country, who lives in Austria and threatened him by physical liquidation by an official way , and accused President Ali Salem Albied in a telephone conversation with the “Aden press,” Immediately after receiving the call, that the people spoke, by SANAA formal way and by the President regime of Ali Abdullah Saleh spoke to him this morning and told him explicitly that we know where you will be, where do you get rid if it did not stop what he described as “a farce and the storm,” which raised Albied since announced his departure from Muscat and his call for the people of the South to unite behind their cause, just published in the In an earlier statement, “Aden press .”

The Albied that he had contacts after the conversation with the security of residence in Austria and told them the incident and details of the conversation with him conducted by the Yemen, the authorities there have taken precautionary procedures and appropriate security and provided protection for the head of the White and his family immediately.

Albied gave the Sanaa regime and its leader, the full responsibility for any harm happen to him or to one of the members of his family, God forbid, calling through “Aden Press,” the sons of the south to more unity and cohesion behind the just cause and confirmed that the Albied of such acts will not deter us from continuing our struggle towards achieve independence and liberation of our country.

One of the historical leaders, al Attas I think it was on al Jazeera, mentioned some of the people who have been assassinated, and I was surprised that he stopped at three. But Saleh has a considerable trail of blood behind him.

Last week he asked Saudi Arabia to extradite al Attas and Oman to extradite al Beedh.

More bad Google translation. Several journalists, academics, human rights workers and others were denied visas to Yemen recently. The following story deals with Laurent Bonneyfoy, French academic, who had a visa and was refused entry at the airport. He wasn’t even permitted to call the French Embassy or his wife in Sana’a before being turned around and flown back out. He was working on research with the International Crisis Group on the Sa’ada War. The ICG is an impartial and respected organization that focuses on conflict resolution.

This tactic of denying visas along with the banning of several major newspapers is clearly a regime tactic to hide the truth and prevent its dissemination internally and internationally. Its such a dirtbag regime, but it plays the game very well. Bonneyfoy is never very controversial or critical and normally sticks to boutique topics, but any research on Sa’ada scares the regime. There’s a lot still hidden that they want to stay hidden. As I’ve said before, this tactic of threatened and actual Visa denial causes some to temper their public analysis. Its understandable, but the world and the Yemeni people suffer for it.

Saleh’s propaganda machine is actually quite impressive in its repressive and proactive aspects domestically and internationally. The several other instances of recent Visa refusals are equally egregious. You’ll have to take my word for it until they become public.

Al Needa: طرد الشهود من اليمن وإغلاق البلاد على حروب غير محدودة – نبيل سبيع Expelled from Yemen, witnesses and the closure of the country’s wars, however limited – Subaie
الخميس , 30 أبريل 2009 م Thursday, April 30, 2009 m
Print Send News
أجرت منظمة دولية مرموقة بحثا في اليمن حول إيجاد شروط أساسية لبناء سلام دائم في صعدة وتزمع إصدار تقرير حول ذلك بعد أسبوعين، لكن القصة ليست هنا. Held a prestigious international organization in Yemen, on the search to find the conditions essential to building a lasting peace in Saada and intends to issue a report on that after two weeks, but the story is not here. القصة في أن التقرير تسبب بطرد الباحث الفرنسي بونفوا الذي عمل عليه وهذه قد تكون بداية سياسة جديدة تنتهجها صنعاء: The story that the report caused Bonfoi, causing him to expel the French researcher who worked for him and this could be the beginning of a new policy sanaa:
الوضع في اليمن ذاهب إلى الأسوأ. (Read on …)

Number four

al Sahwa

Aden, Sahwa Net- Son of a former parliamentarian and member of the Yemeni Social Party Wadah Saleh Harbi passed away on Sunday as a result of an unidentified bullet he was subjected to on Friday. (Read on …)

Yemeni-American analyst Munier al Mawari wrote an article that was published in Yemen and he has been declared a fugative for not showing up in court. He’s in DC. The concern of course is for the editor in Yemen who is also facing charges. There’s a few journalists beaten, arrested and harrassed lately, but they are doing a very poor job in getting the information out in English. I’m trying to make a master list.

al Eshteraki Court postponed its secretariat in the West on Monday morning to consider the issue of the source until 20 April next لإتاحة الفرصة للنيابة إبلاغ الصحفي منير الماوري بقرار الاتهام. For the opportunity to inform the press on behalf of the Maori Munir’s decision to charge. (Read on …)

الأخوة أعضاء يمن بورتال الأعزاء،

تحية طيبة أهديها إليكم بعد طول غياب ويسعدني إبلاغكم بأن المحرك “يمن بورتال نت” قد تجاوز عقبة أخرى وانتهى من التحديث الجذري للبنية التحتية له حيث انتقل إلى سيرفر جديد ذو سعة وسرعة كبيرتين وبالتالي فإن تصفحه سيكون أسرع وأسهل من الآن فصاعداً.

كما يسعدني إبلاغكم بأن عدد المواد المخزنة في قاعدة بيانات المحرك قد وصل مؤخراً إلى مليون مادة. وإليكم البيان المرفق الذي يحتوي على التفاصيل وأتمنى أن يقوم أصحاب المواقع والمدونون منكم بنشره دعماً منكم للمحرك الذي ما يزال مع الأسف محجوباً في اليمن إلا أنه من الممكن محاولة فتحه عبر الرابط المؤمن

https://yemenportal.net

متأملاً استجابتكم في نشر المرفق مع تمنياتي لكم بالتوفيق والنجاح.
(Read on …)

An interview with Nasser Al-Khabji, a leader in the Southern Mobility Movement published in the Yemen Post. (Of course, “armed groups” and “some parties” refers to the Fahdli jihaddists that Saleh made a deal with.)

NY: How can you describe what happens in Abyan, especially when some armed groups dominate certain areas?
NK: What happens in Abyan is part of state plots. The state cannot live or rule without contradictions and seeding seditions among society members. This is a tribal and military legacy for the ruling system which is incapable to come up to the civil system – that of state institutions, justice, equality, freedom and the acceptance of the other.

NY: Are you for highway robbery to force the authority to meet some legal demands?
NK: We have been and still are against any armed act or highway robbery. We refuse it; however, we, at the same time, do not accept injustice and bloodshed during peaceful demonstrations. This gives us the right to defend ourselves through the legitimate means.

NY: There has been news that there is a deal between the authority and some parties in the south to perform political assassinations, to what extents is this right and how would you deal with it?
NK: Everything is possible by a state that pays no respect for the human. There are indications of media campaigns targeting mobility leaders and some political symbols as well as distribution of arms from the military stores, especially in Radfan. These are dangerous signs and they could imply a forthcoming war on the lands of south Yemen.

fractures in the house of Saleh, al Sahwa:

Sahwa Net – The Joint Meeting Parties has denounced what labeled abuses and infringements practiced by the Yemeni official media against other parties , indicting that the authorities intervene on other party affairs and promote their divisions.

JMP expressed its sympathy with The Arab Socialist Ba’ath Party which was subject to defamation campaign , calling all other political forces to strongly condemn abuses and smears practiced against it .

The Talabanization of Yemen may have reached a tipping point.
Update: Maybe. Knives not guns?

Yemeni extremists in Taiz governorate attacked motels scattered over Saber Mountain. YemenOnline Feb 22 – A group of masked Yemeni religious extremists with knives and torches attacked small motels scattering over Saber Mountain, and started stabbing inhabitants and setting fire all over the places. While the attackers managed to escape, they left behind some serious injuries and burnt-down places.

It is clear that a wave of religious extremism has spread among young people in Taiz governorate, and that a number of religious parties took advantage of the recent events in Gaza Strip in particular, to serve their political objectives.

Update: One person was seriously injured and 13 other wounded. The location is a resort, not actually a hotel, a casino type resturant. There were about 20 attackers. Several other tourist areas were previously attacked.

Naba

Scenes of bloody terrible, almost a form of Legends of Hollywood .. متطرفون ملثمون يحملون السكاكين بيد، ومشاعل النيران بيد أخرى، ويغزون استراحات سياحية بجبل صبر بتعز مكبرين باسم الله.. Extremists, however, masked men wielding knives, flares and fire, however, and tourist bars invade Mount Ptaz binoculars patience in God’s name .. يثبون على الناس، وبعد كل صيحة “الله أكبر” يغرسون سكاكينهم في الرؤوس، والصدور، وأي جزء من أجساد مَن ظفروا بهم.. Ithbon on people, after all the cry of “Allahu Akbar” Egrson knives in the head, and chests, and any part of the body of them won .. ويضرمون النيران في كل مكان منها.. And setting fire to each place

No reconciliation yet.

Yemen Times

SANA’A, Feb. 15 — Houthi leader Abdul Malek Al-Houthi has recently threatened to avenge the death of field leader Ahmed Abdulla Abdan Al-Ezzi, whom he accused government-supported militias of killing last week.

Al-Houthi’s media office accused local authorities in Al-Jawf of setting up an armed ambush that targeted citizens on the public road of Zahir district, killing five citizens.

“Militias from the government in Al-Jawf headed by Khaled Al-Sharif, head of the Supreme Commission for Election and Referendum (SCER), carried out this operation,” said their press release. (Read on …)

al Sahwa Yemeni authorities keep holding Yemeni journalist Wajdi al-Shabi who was arrested while he was covering a rally held in Aden on Tuesday.

Al-Shabi was abusively taken to the criminal investigation of Aden and was charged with involving in confrontations with the authorities last year.

Al-Watan newspaper which al-Shabi belongs to demanded to immediately release its journalist, holding the security responsible for its life.

What can we learn from this article in the Yemen Times?

The Jewish people who were relocated from Sa’ada were not compensated for their property. Although the regime is mouthing words about protection, the lawyers who are representing the victim are being threatened. The Jewish community is still threatened and harassed by the murderer’s relatives and Salafis. A member of the community was murdered in cold blood last month, so these are not empty threats. The court in Amran is dominated by these forces, not only is it unfair but unsafe.

SANA’A, Jan. 4 – During the second court session of the trial of Abdul Aziz Al-Abdi, who is accused the murdering Jewish citizen Masha Al-Nahari this past December 31, journalists and lawyers said that “the court session was full of chaos and quarrels. A soldier was attacked by one of the family members of the accused. In addition, the Jewish family received death threats from the murderer’s relatives.”

Advocates of Al-Nahari demanded to transfer the case and trial to Sana’a due to lack of proper security at the Amran Court and dominance of Al-Abdi’s relatives who “control the events of the session and create chaos inside the court hall,” said Abdul Rahman Barman, a lawyer from Allaw Law Foundation which volunteered to defend Al-Nahari’s case in the court.

“Amid lack of security and the chaos that Al-Abdi’s relatives create, the trial will not be safe,” Barman said.

Today, the Yemeni Jews in Amran, some 70 kilometers northwest of Sana’a, are living in a state of horror after receiving threats from some Salafia supporters. The threats are increasing with the ongoing aggression in Gaza by the Israeli occupants. (Read on …)

al-Hadath

Local sources said Ja’ar in the city of Abyan province, the “mujahideen”, or Army of Aden Abyan know, chasing young people in the region and to provide that those accused of killing young gay ومن ” المثليين ” It is “gay”

وأضافت المصادر لـ ” الحدث ” أن المجاهدين المسلحين أقدموا على قتل 3 أشخاص حتى الآن بذات التهمة ، وسط صمت من قبل الأجهزة الأمنية وعلى مرأى ومسمع من الجميع . The sources said the “event” that the Mujahideen militants they killed 3 people so far the same charge, amid the silence of the security organs and the eyes and ears of everyone. مشيراً إلى أن هؤلاء المجاهديـن يسيطرون على منطقة جعار وينتقلون فيها بأسلحتهم بطريقة أشبه بالحكم الذاتي . He pointed out that the Mujahideen Ja’ar control of the region and move the way their arms like a self-governing. (Read on …)

Yemen Post

On the other hand, authorities have arrested two persons from Al Dhale province who were handed over by Saudi authorities in connection with reports they published on a website backing the southern anti-government movements. However, the fate of a third partner remains unclear, as there were reports he is still held by Saudi authorities.

Sources close to the families of the arrested said the Political Security in Sana’a seized Sami Ali Nassir and Ali Sahyef al-Hariri four months ago, but there were not specific convictions against them under which they may go on trial.

The two along with a third partner were said to have created a website known as ‘ the southern movement’. The sources expected Saudi authorities had held the Yemeni nationals under a request from the Yemeni government.

Families of the arrested called on human rights organizations to intervene to release their relatives either in Yemen or in Saudi Arabia.

Following our earlier report on the sectarian murder of a Jewish rabbi, a group of Muslim extremists (associated with the murderer) are surrounding the houses of several Jewish families in Yemen, throwing rocks and preventing them from leaving their homes. The government has taken no action and in desperation, the murdered man’s brother called a local news outlet.

AMRAN, NewsYemen: Rabbi Yehiya Yaish, one of the leaders of Jewish community in Yemen, said that he and other Jews are home arrested as eight suspected of killing his brother Moshe Yaish Nahari last Thursday are surrounding their houses since Saturday evening.

“We are home arrested and cannot even open doors due to threats by the gang that is surrounding houses in the area and throwing stones to windows and doors,” said Rabbi Yaish in a telephone call with NewsYemen….

Yaish said the order of the Interior Minister to arrest the eight suspects was “just for media coverage, but what is happening is that we are being attacked in broad daylight.”

Yaish refused to bury his brother Moshe and said Moshe would be buried together with the killer, calling Muslims to protect Jews.

Next the churches?

1-10-09

Front Line

Front Line protection of Human Rights defenders welcomes the release of human rights defender, Khalid Abdul-Wahab El-Sharif from prison on Friday 19 December. He had been detained since 5 July 2008 in the Political Security Prison, Sana´a, where he had been denied legal consultation, regular visits and was never officially charged. Despite his release, Front Line remains deeply concerned about the ongoing detention without charge of human rights defenders, Mr Yasre Abdul-Wahab Al-Wazeer and Mr Mu’een Ibraheem Al-Mutawakel.

On 1 July 2008, Ali Ali Yahya Al-Emad was arrested and placed in incommunicado detention in the Political Security Prison, Sana´a.

According to reports received, Ali Ali Yahya Al-Emad´s family was never informed of his whereabouts and believed that he had been “disappeared” until his release on 2 December 2008. During his detention, he was allegedly tortured and subjected to ill-treatment. On 27 May 2008, Mu’een Ibraheem Al-Mutawakel was detained, while Yasre Abdul-Wahab Al-Wazeer on 1 July 2008, and Khalid Abdul-Wahab El-Sharif on 5 July 2008.

All are currently being held in the Political Security Prison, San´a, where it is feared that they may be subjected to torture and ill-treatment. They have been denied legal consultation, regular visits and have not been officially charged. The three men had been detained for at least six weeks before their families were informed of their whereabouts by the authorities.

On 12 September 2008, the Yemeni President, Field Marshall Ali Abdullah Saleh ordered the release of all prisoners related to the Sada conflict who had not been convicted. However, it is believed that at least 69 individuals related to this conflict, including the aforementioned human rights defenders, remain in detention without charge.

Front Line believes that Ali Ali Yahya Al-Emad, Yasre Abdul-Wahab Al-Wazeer, Khalid Abdul-Wahab El-sharif and Mu’een Ibraheem Al-Mutawakel were targeted as a result of their peaceful human rights activities, specifically those who campaign for judicial reform and the rights of prisoners. Front Line is particularly concerned by the trend of incommunicado detentions in Yemen, a practice which violates International norms and has been known to facilitate torture and ill-treatment.
Source: www.frontlinedefenders.org

Yemen on Line:

Amnesty International expresses concern about human rights situation in Yemen

Yemenonline-Nov 12,2008- In its submission to the UN Universal Periodic Review in the Fifth session of the UPR Working Group of the Human Rights Council on May 2009,Amnesty International expresses concern about human rights situation in Yemen.

The report criticized continuing pattern of serious human rights violations, including the extensive use of the death penalty; restrictions on the peaceful exercise of the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly; and discrimination and violence against women, which would be exacerbated if the proposed new laws and amendments to existing laws .IntroductionThrough its executive, legislative and judicial branches the government is in the process of preparing new laws and revising current laws. This process will impact on the framework of protection of fundamental human rights. Some of the proposed new legislation fails to conform to the requirements of international human rights law and, if implemented, could seriously undermine the many positive features of the human rights framework in Yemen. These proposals also have to be seen in the context of existing laws and practices that are in violation of Yemen’s obligations under international human rights law. B. Normative and institutional framework of the State: Failure to bring laws into line with international standards The government has initiated a review of the Constitution and a number of existing laws and has proposed new draft laws, including to counter terrorism. Laws put forward for review include the Penal Code (PC)[1] and the Press and Publication Law (PPL).[2] The new draft laws include a Counter Terrorism Law (CTL) and a Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism Law (MLFTL). Human rights defenders in Yemen perceive both threats and opportunities in these legislative proposals. The new laws could be used to undermine the many important human rights achievements in the country since the establishment of the Republic of Yemen in 1990 (following unification of the then People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen and the Yemen Arab Republic) and Yemen’s adherence to its obligations under international human rights law.

Yet, Yemeni human rights defenders also see the proposed new laws as providing an opportunity to enhance the protection of human rights framework, which has seen the state’s ratification of many key international human rights treaties;[3] general respect for freedom of expression, association and assembly; criminalization of arbitrary arrest, detention and torture; and legal protection of the right to fair trial. Concerns that the legislative proposals may impact negatively on the current human rights framework are based on the assessment that they would expand the scope of the death penalty, criminalize legitimate freedoms, extend executive powers and the use of special procedures, and further entrench discrimination against women. The death penaltyIn addition to proposing an expansion in the scope of application of the death penalty, the new draft legislation would decrease further the few safeguards provided in the PC. Currently, the PC prescribes the death penalty under Shari’a law (Islamic Law) for murder (Qisas) and Hudud (divinely prescribed fixed offences and punishments), including for apostasy and adultery (where the punishment is death by stoning) and Hiraba (rebellion, unlawful war, spreading disorder on land), in addition to numerous capital offences related to state security. All of these capital offences are retained under the draft legislation and nine additional capital offences have been proposed; three as amendments to the PC[4] and six in the new CTL.[5] (Read on …)

An explosive planted under the seat. News Yemen

SANA’A, NewsYemen

Member of the Joint Meeting Parties (JMP), opposition coalition, Haidar Mohammad Farha al-Hazmi, was killed Saturday by a mine planted under his car seat.
Security director of Sana’a province Mohammad Tareeq said investigations are ongoing to divulge the killer and unveil motives behind the assassination.

Al-Hazmi was also member of the local council of Arhab district, north Sana’a. JMP has condemned the murder and asked for the arrest of criminals, but did not accuse anyone. It called people to offer any information may lead to assassin.

JMP warned of consequences of such “unprecedented” crime, calling on security authorities without delay to bring criminals to justice.

Two weeks ago, a security official was assassinated in Mareb by a letter bomb. The operation was described to be the first of its kind.

Huge development

SANA’A, NewsYemen

Fawaz Ba-oam, son of Hassan Ba-oam, leader in the Yemeni Socialist Party, said that 10,000 armed men participated in a rally organized Saturday morning by his father in Yafe city of Lahj, south of Yemen.

Fawaz said that the public rally was successful and armed men did not shoot a single bullet.

Some reports said that thousands of armed tribesmen gathered when security forces surrounded a house in Yafe and tried to detain Ba-oam. Press reports said that security forces had to leave the area to avoid confrontations with armed men.

Security Director of Yafe Omer Saleh al-Kasad denied in a statement to NY that security forces were trying to detain Hassan Ba-Oam. Al-Kasad said the security forces had to stop “an unlicensed” protest led by Ba-oam.

Security source said no one in the city hosted Ba-oam or his fellows.

Yemeni authorities released Ba-Oam last September after President Saleh pardoned him. Ba-oam was detained for months for organizing protests in Aden authorities said against the unity.

The rally was held in Yafe on the occasion of killing four people in previous rally last October 2007.

Ba’oum hunted, after he was released from jail last month

Yemen Post: Local sources from Yaf’e, a mountainous area in the southern of Yemen, said that tribal men from Yaf’e’s Nakheb region managed to transfer Hassan Ba-Aum, a leader in the Southern Movement to a safe place, where he could avoid governmental forces who were searching for him.

Ba–Aum’s son told media that hundreds of tribal men have managed to protect his father from armed forces that wanted to arrest him and take him back to prison.

Sources mentioned that the armed forces are believed to have orders from higher authorities to arrest those who were released from prison lately by President Saleh.

Security forces have been distributing the names of those who were released to all police stations throughout the country in an effort to arrest them again.

Meanwhile, specialized penal court started trialing Hassan Ba-Aum, Ali Monasser, and Yahya Khaleb as they are suspected to be behind actions that would harm the unity of the country.

Last month, President Saleh ordered the release of 864 demonstrators arrested during protests in the southern part of Yemen.

As Yemen was doing a good job in hunting down Al-Qaeda elements across the country and managed months ago to end the ongoing war in Sa’ada, the southern issue opened the door for new erupting problems in the country.

Former military generals, unemployed professionals, and disgruntled youth across the south claim that the north is economically more developed than the south, and that northerners are favored by the government in Sana’a.

then there was the one who made the gun busts….

MAREB, NewsYemen

Security director of Medghal district in Mareb, Mohammad bin Rabesh, was reportedly killed on Monday an explosive parcel sent to him from Sana’a.

A soldier was also said to be injured in the explosion.

Security authorities said that Rabesh died at a hospital in Sana’a due to the explosive substance used in a parcel, the first operation of its kind in Yemen.

This came after a month of terrorist attack on U.S Embassy in Sana’a that killed six security guards and other Yemeni nationals.

How very sad for his family and colleagues. .

WQAD

Rock Island, Ill. – Augustana College will host a memorial service to remember alumnus Jeff Patneau on Saturday, October 11 at 10 a.m. in Ascension Chapel (820 38 th Street). He died from complications of injuries suffered in an armored car accident in Yemen.

The 2005 graduate of Augustana was working for the American Embassy in Yemen. On September 28, a car broadsided the armored car, in which he was riding. He suffered a fractured skull, was flown to a London hospital, but died October 4 without regaining consciousness.. His two-year assignment in Yemen was nearly complete, and he was expected to be reassigned sometime this winter or spring.

“Jeff embodied everything we believe and have fought for since our establishment as a free nation,” said Don Umland, director of campus recreation. “I believe Jeff lived his life the way he wanted to. That is what he would tell others to do as well. If you have a passion for something, then do it.” The two worked closely together for three years in the campus recreation department. Patneau majored in business administration at Augustana and held office positions in the student government association and Delta Omega Nu fraternity.

He is survived by his parents Bob and Dawn Patneau and two siblings, formerly of Hampshire, Ill. now Lexington, N. C.

The third kidnapping in 2008.

It would be nice to have some stats on how many Yemenis a year get kidnapped.

Yemen cracks down to free two Colombian hostages

[20 September 2008]

ABYAN, Sep. 20 (Saba)- Security sources said on Saturday that the security committee of Abyan province held a meeting to conduct security crackdowns for the release of two Colombian oil experts who were kidnapped on Friday by tribal gunmen.

The sources added that the two Colombian oil experts, working with the Yemeni Liquefied Natural Gas Company, were kidnapped on Friday while they were on their way to the pipelines, in Balhaf, Shabwa province.

Well-informed sources said the two Colombian oil experts, along with two Yemenis, were kidnapped in the Shabwa province, east of Yemen. The hostages were identified as Hector Marin, Rafael Abala, Basheer Al Sulwi, the driver, and Abdul-Aziz Abdul-Gani.

Primary investigations revealed the kidnappers were from the Ba Kazem tribe in Shabwa province. The kidnappers drove off in the car of the kidnapped experts, leaving their car at the spot where the kidnapping occurred.

According to a local statistics, Yemen has witnessed about 134 kidnappings, which included about 325 Europeans and 25 Americans, between 1990 and 2005.

Around 80 per cent of these abductions took place in the provinces of Sana’a, Amran, Mareb, Sa’ada and Shabwa.

There are thousands of political prisoners, preventative detentions or arbitrary arrests relating to the Sa’ada war. Witness Testimony, Click Here Today IRIN reported, “Abdul-Rashid al-Faqih, head of Hiwar Forum, a local non-governmental organisation (NGO), said about 3,000 people had been arrested by the authorities for supporting al-Houthi. Of these, 500 detainees are known. The rest are unidentified because their families are scared of reporting their fate. Their whereabouts are unknown, he told IRIN.”

About 3000 sounds right and then there are the southern political prisoners, Al-Sahwa:

Sahwa Net-Several activists have stressed the importance of opposing the arbitrary arrests, affirming the illegality of what is named the State Security Court in which southern leaders and activists are trying.

Mohammad al-Mikhlafi , head of the Yemeni Observatory for Human Rights, said that the political prisoners number amounted 864 from March up to-date, pointing out that all of them are from the southern provinces except the comedian Fahad al-Qarni.

He added in a seminar organized by YOHR on Wednesday in Sana’a that such trials ignite hatred against the unification particularly when many political figures are among those who are being prosecuted. Al-Mikhlafi said that the judiciary became an opponent of journalists, indicating that journalists are prevented from attending public hearings and prosecuted.

News Yemen

The Yemeni Journalists Syndicate (YJS) condemned the security authorities’ abusive measures against journalist al-Sabri bin Makhashin, chief editor of the independent Al-Muharer newspaper and almuharer.net.

Bin Makhashin was detained last Tuesday by the Security Department in Mukalla for publishing stories about disclosure of the secondary school exams, said the syndicate.

Bin Makhashin was admitted to hospital last Thursday to be treated of an injury and security authorities refuse to release him, it said. It said that personnel from the Security Department once raided the office of Al-Muharer and arrested bin Makhashin, condemning the hunt of journalists.

The syndicate called for the immediate release of bin Makhashin and held the security authorities responsible for deteriorating his health.

Sahwa Net – Yemeni security forces violated Fuad Dahaba, member of parliament , arrested two journalists Jabr Sabir and Saleh al-Soraimi and abused female activists belonging to the organization of Women Journalists Without Chains while they were protesting an imprisonment ruling against a comedian and signer Fahad al-Qarni on Wednesday .

Yemeni popular comedian and signer Fahad al-Qarni was sentenced to one and half year in prison and a YR 500,000 fine on Wednesday.

The Talibanization of Yemen

Vice and Virtues Police Asserts their Unofficial Power in Yemen

YemenOnline- July 04, 2008- An Islamic police force has raided and shut down many restaurants around Sana’a. On July 3, China Town restaurant was stormed by armed soldiers and bearded religious zealots. Eyewitnesses say that the restaurant owners and patrons were forced on the street while the soldiers destroyed alcohol bottles inside. The gates of the restaurant were shut and the establishment was closed down. Now, there is a sign spray painted on the wall, saying “closed by the authority of the District Attorney and the Hadda Police.” Our legal expert tells us that not only does the district attorney have no authority to shut down the restaurant, but that the Hadda police had no right to even search the place. (Read on …)

Well good for al-Eryany! Public takfirism (especially in the official media) does indeed feed terror and legitimates fanatical thinking.

Ergo, fatwas are not necessary to justify the Saada war if it is a justified action, as the state does have the right to a monopoly on the use of force. (It would be nice if the state stopped bombing civilians though and got some food in there.) And there is no need to call the Southerners unbelievers or godless. The state’s authority is derived from the people and their consent, in theory.

When the state fatwas the opposition, it adds a cultural legitimacy to the fanatical notion that one Muslim can declare another un-Muslim and deserving of death. Like al-Qaeda does. Its an important topic to be addressed. Pluralism and tolerance are characteristics of Yemeni society, however the state is undermining these characteristics whenever it brings religion into political discourse.

Politician’s taking advantage of religion feeds terror

Almotamar.net – The symposium on religious and political indulgence has on Monday recommended the work for disconnection between what is political and religions or the politician taking advantage of religion, holding the forces that employ the religious dimension the major part of responsibility for antagonism and arousing and feeding hostile tendencies in addition to pushing the intellectual phenomenon of extremism towards the practical phenomenon of terror.

The closing statement of the symposium organized by the Bridges of Cultures Forum, Chaired by Dr Abdulkarim al-Eryany and held over two days, also recommended the reconsideration of some concepts and policies and criteria, that proved their contribution to expansion of the sphere of extremism and driving its parties to terror.

While the participants affirmed that extremism and terror have no religion and no homeland and not to blame a certain homeland and religion for the act of some who are affiliate of them and are in fact faced with rejection by their societies, those participants also called fro revival of dialogue between religions provided that it should take a different title of dialogue among religious references.

Participants in the symposium called on all religious, political, cultural media institutions as well as political parties and civil society organisations, directly and indirectly concerned with the creation of public opinion and owner of the national, regional and international decision, for the necessity of making the values of tolerance and coexistence as the reference for first care in whatever it is planned for and they implement in service of the goals of social peace and human coexistence.

Yemeni security forces beat up Hassan al-Dhalimi during his arrest today. His elderly father was pummeled by security forces as well. Hassan is the sixth founding member of al-Tagheer for Rights and Freedoms to be imprisoned. Al-Tagheer is a vibrant and prominent civil rights organization in Yemen. Al-Tagheer’s website Yemenat was blocked two weeks ago by Yemeni authorities. Yemenat is blocked by the governmental IP in Yemen but remains available outside Yemen.

The six arrested aned imprisoned members of al-Tagheer include northerners and southerners. The organization is comprised of democracy advocates from a variety of parties and organizations. Al-Tagheer is the rights organization headed by MP Ahmed Saif Hashid who was named Yemen Times “Man of the Year 2007″ for his civil rights advocacy. Hashid gave me a ground breaking interview about conditions in Yemeni prisons and subsequently faced loss of his parliamentary immunity. Another noted member of al-Tagheer is Abdulkarim al-Khaiwani, respected journalist on trial in penal court for attempting to overthrow the Yemeni government with an unpublished article. Al-Khaiwani is eligible for the death penalty.

Among the reasons behind internet blocking is that Yemnat and almostashar, another news website run by the same publisher, Ahmed Saif Hashed, issued an item attached with a video (click here) documenting 18 Yemeni youth migrants burnt by Saudi police in a southern Saudia Arabian town, Khamees Mushait, last month. The crime was hushed up by Yemeni and Saudi authorities, but exposed by the Yemenat video interview which was picked up by Human Rights Watch on 14.05.2008, with the title of “Saudi Arabia: Investigate Police for Burning Yemenis”.

Update: Monday, released.

-jane

al-Motamar

Almotamar.net – The Specialised Criminal Court on Tuesday fixed the date of one month from today for announcing the sentence against the persons accused of forming an armed gang for killing and sabotage and attacking security institutions (Sana’a 2nd Cell).

In the sitting of the court held Tuesday under chairmanship of Judge Muhsin Alwan, Head of the First Instance Court, the prosecution presented its final presentation and asked the severest sentence legally stipulated against the accused members of the gang.

The presentation mentioned that the defendants had participated in formation of an armed gang for killing, sabotage and attacking security and military institutions by using explosive charges in addition to putting poisons in camps water tanks.

The lawyer of the victims’ families, the killed Majors Abdulgfhani al-Maamari and Yahya Rawee, presented his final statement and requested the execution of the defendants. The defence body of defendant Abdulkarim al-Khaiwani presented also the closing defence and asked the court to acquit their client from charges against him.

At the end of the lawyers reading the closing statement the journalist Mohammed al-Maqaleh bust into noisy laughter and when the court asked him about the reason of his laughter he continued his laughing and ridicule of the trial saying it was a farce. The court decided sending hi to prosecution for interrogation due to his ridiculing the court and violation of the sitting as well as insulting the judiciary.

Tribal, Houthis, al-Qaeda, the regime?

ABC: A politician from Yemen’s ruling party has been shot dead by gunmen in the northwestern region of Saada.

Witnesses say the General People’s Congress member, Saleh al-Hindi, and two bodyguards were killed when their car was sprayed with bullets.

The Saada province has been the scene of a rebellion by members of the Zaidi community, a Shiite offshoot.

While it is not clear who is responsible for the attack, al-Hindi was known to support government efforts to subdue the rebels.

Hendi _ a former leader of the opposition Socialist party who heads a prominent tribe in Saada _ has survived several previous assassination attempts. Hendi left the Socialists about four years ago and joined the ruling party.

Update: tribal, military, Houthis?

Government and Houthis exchange accusation over killing tribal sheikh
Saturday 19 April 2008 / Mareb Press

Member of parliament Sheikh Saleh Daghsan was killed on Friday in Saada province, northern Yemen, by unknown gunmen who sprayed bullets on the car when he was on his way to Saada.

Daghsan’s son and one of the bodyguards were killed in the attack and three others bodyguards were injured.

Sheikh Daghsan was the head of a prominent tribe in Saada and he was supporting the governmental efforts to subdue rebels led by Abdul-Malik Houthi in the Saada province.

Meanwhile, the government and al-Houhti rebels have exchanged accusations over the assassination of Sheikh Daghsan.

The governor of Saada province accused in statement for al-Jazeera Channel Huothi followers of killing sheikh Daghsan as an attempt to evade the implementation of the Qatari-brokered agreement between the government and al-Houthis.

On other hand, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi condemned in a press release the attack and described it as regrettable incident.

“The killing of the Member of Parliament sheikh Saleh Daghsan Hinidi and his Ahmed Saleh comes within the framework of the violations and attacks committed by the government against Saada citizens,” Abdul-Malik al-Houthi said in the press release.

A close source to Daghsan said, “The killing of the sheikh is connected with a revenge issue between his tribe and another tribe.”

Ran out of comedians? al-Sahwa

April 13, 2008- Yemen’s security services have been following up a poet, Fuad al-Himiari, since two weeks on charges of sedition and inciting.

Al-Himiari had delivered a speech in a rally organized by the opposition party in Sana’a in which he slammed the government and the ruling party.

Last week, a well known comedic artist, Fahd al-Qarni was arrested on the same charges.

CPJ

Yemeni government cancels license of independent weekly

New York, April 7, 2008—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns an order by the Yemeni government this weekend to cancel the license of the independent weekly newspaper Al-Wasat.

On Saturday, Yemeni Information Minister Hassan al-Lawzi ordered the newspaper’s license terminated because the paper had damaged relations with Saudi Arabia, and violated technical provisions of the press law, according to local journalists and official press accounts.

A Yemeni government spokesman who asked that his name not be used told CPJ that the Information Ministry revoked Al-Wasat’s license because the paper had “published articles threatening national unity, and spreading messages that promote violence and hate. Yemen supports the freedom of the press that adheres to professional standards and practices.”

“Contrary to the government’s lofty statements in support of a free press such shameful acts of censorship have regrettably become the norm in Yemen,” said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon. “We call on the Yemeni authorities to reverse this flagrant measure immediately.” (Read on …)

Hood calls for releasing a student hostage kept in the CID

10 March 2008 / By Hood online

Hood, the National Organization for Defending Human Rights and Freedoms, sent a letter to the Attorney General, Abdullah Al-Olfi, calling for the release of Mohamed Abdul-Rahman al-Mawjani, a student. Al-Mawjani was taken as a hostage by the Criminal Investigation Department, to force his brother to surrender himself to the CID. Hood condemns the arrest because it is illegal and violates the Yemeni constitution. Al-Mawjani has been held in the CID prison for five months.

The letter says:

Mr. Abdullah Al-Olfi the Attorney General

Hood received a warrant from Al-Mawjani’s family stated that :

The Criminal Investigation Department of Capital Secretariat Sana’a, arrested the abovementioned from the university . Despite of the recurring orders of the Prosecution to the CID to release him, he has been kept in prison as a hostage with no clear legal justification until his brother surrenders himself to the CID. Legally speaking, the arrest violates the constitutional articles (47-48), the law articles (76,7,3) in the Criminal Procedures Code and according to article (2) of the Penal Code. All of these articles speculate that “The criminal responsibility is personal and it is illegal to question any person except for his/her own illegal deeds.”
Also, article (76) states that “Any person is arrested temporarily must not be kept in prison not more than 24 hours or he/ she has to be transferred to court.”
Therefore, we hope you to issue an order to the concerned prosecution to move to the arrest scene and release all whoever arrested illegally. Furthermore, we call for investigating in the illegal arrest case and informing us of all what you have reached.

From
The Executive Director
Khaled al-Anesi

RSF

Independent and opposition journalists battled major restrictions and prosecution in 2007, with a dozen arrested and others physically attacked in the street.

Journalists in the capital, Sanaa, have renamed as “Freedom Square” an intersection near government buildings. Since the regime blocked access to several Internet websites in June 2007 and banned mobile phone news services, freedom of expression activists have met every Tuesday at the spot to protest. Several gatherings have been harshly repressed by police.

At least a dozen stringers for foreign satellite TV stations were banned from sending out material on social unrest and opposition activity in the last quarter of 2007. They included Hammud Munasser, of the Saudi station Al-Arabiya, who was arrested, had his videotapes seized and was interrogated for an hour on the road between Sanaa and Khamer, where about 18,000 people protested on 18 November about the government’s economic policies. A crew from the Qatari station Al-Jazeera was stopped on 10 December from travelling to the southern province of Lahj to cover an opposition rally.

Journalist targeted by the regime

Abdulkarim al-Khaiwani, former editor of the weekly Al-Shura (suspended in 2005) was arrested in June and held for a month before being freed for health reasons. He was prosecuted before the state security court (which specialises in counter-terrorism) for “putting out news likely to undermine army morale” and faces the death penalty if convicted. He is accused of having links with Shiite rebels in the north and has appeared in court with 14 others charged with terrorism. The last hearing, on 25 November, was adjourned and by 1 January 2008 a new date had not yet been set. Al-Khaiwani was questioned by a judge with little affection for journalists, about (unpublished) articles criticising top government figures.

After he was freed, he continued to string for independent and foreign media. Following a story about prison conditions he wrote in the weekly Al-Nedaa, he was briefly kidnapped on 27 August and beaten by heavily-armed men who were apparently state security agents.

Violent incidents

A dozen armed men arrived in military vehicles at the offices of the weekly Al-Sharaa on 30 July and threatened to kill editor Naif Hassan, who was not there. The attack came two weeks after the defence ministry filed a suit against the paper after it printed articles about the fighting in the northern province of Saada. The paper was founded in June 2007.

Ali al-Assadi, editor of the weekly Al-Adwaa, was beaten unconscious in Sanaa on 12 December by thugs with sticks and pickaxes. He said his attackers wore army uniforms.

Mareb Press

Tens of people carried today, Sunday, out a sit-in in Al-Jashen zone before the building of the province of Ibb protesting against sheikh Mohammed Ahmed Mansour, sheikh of AlJashen zone, who demanded them to pay money for their harvests.

Some protesters told Mareb Press that Sheikh Al Jaeshen demanded them to pay large sums of money reaching to YR 70 thousands.

Abdullah Abdo Sharaf said, “They asked me to pay YR 40 thousands and it was the same amount of money that I paid last year. I don’t have anything except a small piece of land. I have gotten my children out of the school because I can not bear the school expenses.”

“We did not know the republican system except during the 3-year period of AlHamdi’s ruling,” he added.

The citizen, Abdul Raqeeb Abdullah, demanded the authority to force Sheikh AlJa’shen to release his brother who was detained by militia of the sheikh and put in al-Hanesh prison that belongs to the sheikh.

The citizens confirmed that the militia headed by Hamoud Abdullah Mushen, Ahmed Bin Ahmed Ali and his sons prevented the refugees who ran away from AlJa’shen zone to establish a camp in Halyan zone in AlOdain district by using military vehicles belonging to the Sheikh.

They confirmed to Mareb Press that their demands were “fair and legitimate” and they wanted to feel that they were “in a State”. The citizens offered their complaint to the governor.

Meanwhile, Marab Press has learned that the governor of Ibb province has directed to cancel these amounts of money.”

This is a very important survey.

Mareb Press

SANAA, Aid workers say children and adolescents in Saada Governorate, northern Yemen, have experienced high levels of psychological trauma as a result of prolonged fighting between government forces and a Shia rebel group.

Their assertion is based in part on the results of a UN Children’s Fund-funded survey carried out by the Medical Charitable Association (MCA), a local non-governmental organisation. The psycho-social assessment survey covered all 15 of Saada’s districts in August-October 2007.

Some 1,400 respondents were selected, 630 of whom were children and adolescents. Some 92.4 percent of the sampled children and adolescents had been exposed to armed conflict; 5.7 percent were evacuated temporarily from their villages during armed conflict; 44 percent were forced to hide to save their lives; 43.4 percent saw the destruction of their or their friends’ houses; 28 percent felt they were about to die during the conflict; 15 percent were injured; 13.8 percent had at least one family member killed; and 10 percent had one family member missing.

Mohammed al-Maqrami, technical coordinator of the Psychosocial Support Project, told IRIN that 53.2 percent of respondents ranked high on major depressive symptoms, and 49.2 percent on post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

“Saada locals, according to the findings, had high levels of PTSD symptoms – on a par with traumatised populations in post-conflict areas like Nepal, Palestine and Iran,” he said.

According to al-Maqrami, symptoms included depression, anxiety, behavioural and aggression problems, and physical symptoms (like nausea, headaches and tremors).

The Saada Governorate has only seven health facilities, and a population of some 700,000. There is no specialist facility for psychological cases.

Training

On 16 February MCA started a two-week training workshop in Saada city, targeting 70 local people. The trainees include health and education workers, civil society organisations, and community leaders. Mahfoud al-Kadam, an MCA information officer, said the trainees would learn how to deal with psychologically affected people, and also be given manuals.

Once trained, Al-Kadam said, trainees would be sent to the field to deal with traumatised people and also train locals on dealing with them.

According to MCA, delayed onset disorder cases or those with persistent psychological distress, despite receiving psychological first aid and group interventions locally, will need to be referred to regional and central teams for more specialised treatment.

source: IRIN

Ahmed Said Hasid is an editor, activist and Member of Yemeni Parliament. In a televised session, extremist members of Parliament labeled Mr. Hasid a “disbeliever”. He expects to be killed by militants as a result.

The Jawa Report published testimony Mr. Hashid collected from prisoners describing torture, near starvation, children jailed and illegal private prisons. Links below are to the witness testimony and my interview with Mr. Hashid. Hashid was also named the Yemen Times Person of the Year in recognition of his humanitarian work.

Yemeni Parliamentarians forwarded a lawsuit to the prosecutor demanding that Hasid’s parliamentary immunity be revoked so he can be prosecuted. They also demand that the newspaper that Mr. hasid founded, Al-Mustaqilah, be closed down. Yemen’s Parliament has taken no steps to rescue the children in jail, the victims of torture or persons illegally detained in tribal prisons.

In a telephone interview, Hashid told the Yemen Times, “I was considered a disbeliever due to some articles recently published in my newspaper, one of which reported a meeting with an insane person who said, ‘Allah was not fair to me.’ Another issue related to one of the ladies who inquired about a fatwa related to prayer and adultery.”

Prisons in Yemen: Torture by Acid and Electricity, Children Housed with Adults, Hostages, Political Prisoners, No Food for Some

Ahmed Saif Hashid: Yemen Times’ Person of the Year

Witness Testimony From the Dungeons of Yemeni Prisons

(Read on …)

HOOD

Hodeidah Hood team members: Decry the attack on the journalists in Hodeidah
Wednesday 06 February 2008 / Hood online

Hood team in Hodeidah governorate condemned the attack on the journalists who covered the protest of the workers in health sector yesterday. The doctors and the other employees demanded the government for better conditions.

The journalists were Mansour Abu Ali, the correspondent of Al-Ayyam newspaper, Mustfa Badr, al-Gumhuriah newspaper, and Mansoor al-Dubai’I, Saba News Agency. Soldiers of the governorate attacked the journalists by orders from Colonel Hassan al-Haij, the General Secretary of the Hodeidah local council.

Hodeidah Hood team members demanded an investigation for the attack and apologizing to the attacked journalists. In addition, people working in the health sector have every right to protest peacefully to take back their rights, said Hood members in Hodeidah.

Al-Sahwa

Hodaida’s security operations chief subjected to assassination attempt

January 2, 2008- Security sources told Alsahwa.net that the Hodaida’s security operations chief Bashir Hadad was subjected Wednesday to an assassination attempt in his office.

Furthermore, he was harshly beaten with rifle butts and weapons by a security official along with four soldiers, according to the sources.

“The chief of security operations is currently lying at the Military Hospital to which he was transferred.” they added.

The sources explained that those who carried out the attack today on the security operations chief are the same persons who were charged with attempting to assassinate deputy of the Criminal Investigation last month.

It is noteworthy that this is the second attempt that targeted security leaders within four weeks after smuggled modern weapons which were seized last month were disappeared by security officials.

January 3, 2008

– Security sources in Hodaida province have said that 25 gunmen from Amran province stormed Hodiada’s security building on Thursday and closed down its gate in new updates of trafficked weapons case .

Officers of Hodaida security expressed surprise as the security authorities have not yet captured the suspects who had tried to assassinate the Hodaida’s security operations chief, Bashir Hadad .

Hodaida’s security operations chief Bashir Hadad was subjected Wednesday to an assassination attempt in his office. He was harshly beaten with rifle butts and weapons by a security official along with four soldiers, according to the sources.

Hadad is currently lying at the Military Hospital to which he was transferred.” they added.

Those who carried out the attack on the security operations chief are the same persons who were charged with attempting to assassinate deputy of the Criminal Investigation, Mohammad al-Maqaleh tasked with investigating of the disappearance of automatic and sophisticated weapons were in way to Saada rebels last month.

The disappearance of automatic and sophisticated weapons had taken considerable attention from the President who authorized the Interior Ministry to form a committee to investigate this serious security issue.

Major arms dealer, Faris Manna, Saleh’s partner, in charge of the mediation committee (??!!). A big oil smuggler too and other items.

Government tried to prevent al Ghadir celebrations

Mohammed Muftah imprisoned for attending religious celebration

Nearly 100 civilians dead in military assault

Yemen Times: SA’ADA, Dec. 30 — Army units deployed at Meftah Mountain and others positioned in Marran area struck Wald Nowar village of Haidan District with mortars and tanks Friday afternoon, Sheikh Saleh Habra, Representative of Abdulmalik Al-Houthi, told Yemen Times on Sunday. Up to 33 children and 54 women have been killed and dozens injured in the prolonged confrontations between military and Houthi followers.

The tribal leader noted that the most recent strikes, taking place on Friday, killed three children, including two little girls aged 6 and 11 respectively, and wounded another three children as they were playing in their village.

According to Sa’ada tribal sources, the military forces occasionally attack some areas controlled by Houthis with mortars and medium arms, without clear reasons. The sources said that security forces in the restive governorate are hunting Houthi supporters, adding that policemen kill any Houthis whom they can’t capture, despite the Houthis’ commitment to the truce announced by the government.

Regarding attempts at mediation between the government and Houthis, Sheikh Habra stated that a new mediation committee arrived in the governorate last week, with the purpose of investigating facts about violations by the army against Houthis. Such violations include assaults with heavy arms and arrest campaigns against Houthi loyalists, notably in the areas of Haidan and Sehar.

Habra confirmed to the same sources that the Qatari and Yemeni presidential committees are still tasked to resolve the Sa’ada crisis, adding that both committees were formed under a Doha agreement that ended the war between Houthi supporters and government troops in June 2007.

“People are enraged by military troops targeting children and women in their random strikes,” Habra told the Yemen Times. “You must know that the army’s targeting of women and children is not a new phenomenon; as many as 54 women and 33 children have been reportedly killed and dozens injured since the war broke out. Such behavior implies a lack of morality and values on the part of those who exercise barbaric acts against innocent women and children and randomly attack their villages and homes.”

Local sources in Sa’ada confirmed the breakdown of the fact-finding committee’s first meeting, chaired by Sheikh Fares Mohammed Mana’a, an arms dealer, who met Abdulmalik Al-Houthi on Tuesday in Matra.

The sources mentioned that Abdulmalik Al-Houthi set up a number of conditions for the newly formed committee during a lengthy speech, which he delivered before the committee members. According to Al-Houthi, the committee must be in charge of monitoring the situation and reporting any violations committed by either side. He said the new committee must not exceed the limits of its jurisdiction, taking into consideration that the previously constituted Qatari and Parliamentary committee is still doing its job, and any other committee must not replace it.

Describing Abdulmalik Al-Houthi as “a man of peace”, the sources added that the Houthi field leader harshly criticized members of the former committee over allegedly being incredulous and not fulfilling their promises.

Aidarous Al-Naqeeb, member of the former mediation committee, expressed that the committee stopped functioning before Ramadan because its members became extremely busy with other duties. Only three members remained, who could do nothing to calm the inflaming situation in Sa’ada.

In a statement to Al-Sahwa.net, Al-Naqeeb expressed his desire that the newly formed committee will succeed in its conciliation efforts and benefit from the former committee’s experiences.

Concerning the religious celebrations by the Shiite and Zaidi sects on the day of Ghadir, the occasion appeared to have a totally different color this year in the war-ravaged governorate that has come under fighting since June 2004.

Media sources said that the provincial capital of Sa’ada and all its districts witnessed unprecedented celebrations on the religious occasion Wednesday evening, featuring the use of firecrackers, firing in the air and setting fires on mountaintops, despite government fliers warning citizens against joining in the event.

One Sa’ada inhabitant attributed the excessive celebrations to citizens’ strong desire, after authorities prevented them from marking the occasion since the first Sa’ada war broke out in June 2004.

Islamic Shiite and Zaidi sects in Yemen usually mark Ghadir Day on 18 Dhu’l Hijjah (Islamic Calendar). The occasion marks the day when the prophet Mohammed supposedly authorized Ali Bin Abi Talib as ruler for the Muslims in the area of Ghadir Khumm as he was returning from his last pilgrimage before his death.

In Sana’a, a group of policemen severely beat and insulted Zaidi cleric Mohammed Muftah in front of his wife and children as he was returning from Ghadir Day celebrations organized in Bani Heshaish, northeast of Sana’a, last Thursday. The police took Muftah to a security prison, where he is presently jailed.

In a statement distributed to different media outlets, the human rights organization Change condemned the assault on the Zaidi cleric and expressed concern about such malpractices the government exercises against its citizens. It held the government accountable for any consequences of the unjustified attack, saying that such oppressive acts contravene the constitution and law that ensure citizens the right to exercise religious rituals freely.

The organization appealed to local and international civil and human rights groups and organizations to express solidarity with the victim and condemn the authorities’ arbitrary conduct.

Yemen Times:

SANA’A, Dec. 26 — Five years have passed since the politically-motivated assassination of Jarallah Omar, Assistant Secretary General of the Yemeni Socialist Party (YSP). The Joint Meeting Parties (JMP) laments his loss, as he played the most vital role in forming the opposition bloc.

Had Omar escaped assassination, the opposition bloc’s popularity would not have declined over time, since the man proved vital in bringing all the opposition parties together and unifying their lines, according to Mohammed Al-Mekhlafi, defense-advocate of Jarallah Omar’s family.

Al-Mekhlafi said there were political reasons behind the assassination of the YSP leader; the authority predicted that he was bound to play a greater role in creating strong opposition to the ruling party in the country. “Had Jarallah Omar survived, all the Yemeni people would not have suffered such noticeable fragmentation and splits, as he used to do his best for the sake of restoring the spirit of solidarity among Yemeni people.” The lawyer added, “He surely would have worked hard on eliminating all the negative consequences of the 1994 civil war. He was able to improve and strengthen relations between citizens in the north and the south.”

Al-Mekhlafi went on to say. “Omar was a symbol for a nationwide movement toward creating national harmony in the political and social spheres. He represented YSP, a party that has advocated strong bonds between citizens in South and North Yemen since its formation.”

The human rights activist stressed that the Yemeni people currently live in a state of outrage, characterized by severe poverty, despair and fragmentation between community members. He is of the opinion that the country is gradually moving backwards due to government policies aimed at weakening the role of the opposition. (Read on …)

The Yemen Times, SANA’A, Dec. 8 — Last week, the Yemeni Parliament agreed to rescind Parliament member (MP) Ahmed Saif Hashid’s immunity, claiming that Hashid paid visits to prisons and revealed illegal actions that go against the constitution, Yemeni laws and international conventions.

Previous activities made by Hashid resulted in his arrest in the political security prison, followed by imprisonment under the Immigration and Passports Authority. Hashid’s chauffeur was also killed in the street, with his camera and cell phone confiscated. Referring to these incidents, Hashid asked, “What kind of immunity are they talking about?”

Many MPs affiliated with the ruling party (GPC) demanded last week to rescind Hashid’s immunity. The parliament agreed to do so. Hashid considered the revoking of his immunity by Parliament an action targeting him and his human rights activities.

Jane Novak, an American researcher, interviewed Hashid, addressing issues related to human rights, freedom, prisons, and inmates in Yemen. The interview was downloaded onto many news websites, enraging a lot of people.

You would think Parliament would be enraged by the torture of Yemeni children in jail, not by the guy who is trying to save them.

The Banned in Yemen tee shirts say “Ali Saleh is Afraid of a Blog”, but really they are afraid of the truth.

Take a look at the category, Prisons. The offending interview is there, as well as a lot of other reports.

Wow, the The Yemen Observer covers the topic of racial bigotry and discrimination. I’ve seen a few articles about the Ahdkam but nothing like this about general social attitudes toward “the colored”.

The extent to which people have empathy for the colored varies from one person to another. From the people interviewed, I received similar answers, “Besides being repugnant in their filthy looks, they are thieves,” said Muhammad Skandar, a police officer. Other people said that they do not like them simply due to the nature of their work. Ramy’s response to such arguments throws light on the irrational reasons for these opinions. “Lots of people tend to cover their discrimination with unreasonable arguments, but they are discriminating, nonetheless,” he says. “For instance, the colored are involved in few cases of thievery compared to others whose behavior can’t or mustn’t be disapproved of.” He also points out that when they must labor to do their job, we unjustly label them as dirty people.

Ramy has come up with a couple of practical solutions in order for the colored to be integrated into society. He believes that everyone in our country must share the responsibility of raising awareness among people and especially in the coming generation. He suggests that “families should no longer belittle them; schools, through curricula, should admire whomever serves his or her country; media could present a weekly citation for the great effort they make; mosque preachers, instead of their unhealthy obsession with collecting money, must give even a little attention to the colored and remind us of Belal, as well as the Prophet, saying that all people are equal; government must mandate that everyone should do what they have to do accordingly.”

HARADH, NewsYemen

The Yemeni authorities did not allow sheikh Yahya Hussein al-Dailami, assistant secretary-general of the Al-Haq party, to travel to Saudi Arabia to perform pilgrimage in Mecca and stopped him Wednesday morning in Haradh that borders the Kingdom.

Yahya was heading for the Holy Lands to perform pilgrimage, but forces in the military checkpoint in Haradh detained him and handed him over to the political security which took him to unknown place, said Ali al-Dailami, brother of Yahya and the executive director of the National Organization for Defending Rights and Freedoms.
(Read on …)

Wow. From Saada to Aden and lots of places in between

Yemen Times

TAIZ, Dec. 2 — Official and popular celebrations on the 40th anniversary of National Independence Day, which took place from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1, were accompanied by angry and hostile demonstrations against the authority in several Yemeni governorates, notably in Taiz, which hosted the biggest rally. Aden, Lahj, Al-Dhale’, Abyan, Sana’a and Ibb were other governorates that witnessed enraged protests against the government.

Securities can’t prevent the marches

Security authorities failed to prevent citizens from joining the demonstrations, although they closed all outlets to Taiz and opened fire on some people while they were trying to enter the city via entrances other than those containing checkpoints. Three citizens were injured badly in the process. (Read on …)

This is the organziation headed by Tawwakol Karaman, who has been getting death threats by text message on her and her kids.

Al-SAhwa
December 1, 2007- Political Security has confiscated documents of the Journalists without Chains Organization
JWC said members of the Political Security confiscated on Saturday documents form the civil society exhibition held at Sheraton hotel, Sana’a.
She further explained that security members confiscated documents regarding press freedom in Yemen and refused to give it back.

News Yemen

After one day of releasing two opponents detained since two months for protests in Aden against bad conditions of military pensioners, security forces arrested some tens of opposition leaders and activists.

Special sources told NewsYemen that security released Nasser al-Nobah and Hassan Ba-Oam after orders from president Ali Abdullah Saleh to release all prisoners arrested in previous protests in Aden and other provinces.

However, local sources said that new arrests occurred on Friday for their participation in a new protest march took place in Sheikh Othman of Aden Thursday in protest to the government’s delay to solve problems of retired military personnel, asking for the release of Nasser al-Nobah and other prisoners.

Sources told NewsYemen that three people were injured in clashes occurred between anti-riot police and citizens in Sheikh Othman.
Sources in the Accidents Unit at Al-Jumhuriya Hospital said one of them was seriously wounded.

Protesters raise banners and placards reading “cracking down peaceful protests is another form of terrorism”, “no state without law…no justice without citizenship”, “government of promises…patience is over”, “Yes for the unity of 22 May 1990, no for the unity of war on 7/7/1994”.

They carried pictures of citizens killed in the past protests in Radfan, al-Dalei and Mukalla and the pictures of al-Nobah and Ba-Oam.

Eye witnesses told NewsYemen a helicopter was seen flying above the rally and that security forces were surrounding the area.

Deputy head of the Military Pensioners Coordination Council Hassan al-Baishi said that “after forty years of independence, southern Yemen found itself in the same situation”.

It is the same situation, but more worse. Southern Yemen is a victim of its fighting for a real unity which is supposed to keep dignity and respect rights, he said.
The regime in Sana’a could not fulfill its promises and agreements with southern Yemen,
he added.

The rally was organized on the occasions of November 30, which marks the independence day of southern Yemen from British colony in 1963.

If the people already inside Yemen were given an opportunity to express their political rights without retribution, then maybe people from abroad would return. But transfering teachers who demonstrate and charging al-Khaiwani with terrorism for *writing* and deploying tear gas against demonstrators in Aden really doesn’t give a good impression of the freedom to be politically active. Political passivism is encouraged and political activism punished. While Saleh was giving this speech about pluralism, citizens traveling to the demostration in Aden were beaten and one was killed. The speech also contains a thinly veil to anyone not

President calls on politicians abroad to return home

[29 November 2007]

ADEN, Nov. 29 (Saba) – President Ali Abdullah Saleh called on Yemeni politicians abroad to return home, especially those who has not abused the people and the country, and to take part in the
political action in Yemen.

During a speech delivered in a big carnival held Thursday in the 22nd May Stadium in Aden on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Independence Day on November 30, President Saleh said that politicians have the right to practice political action but without prejudicing to the unification of the country, excluding “those who did so, their files are still open”. He also rejected all kinds of
violence and conspiracies. (Read on …)

al-Sahwa

November 29, 2007 -The editing manager of News Yemen website, Rashad al-Sharabi along with journalist Abdul-Hakim Hilal were subjected Thursday to seizure and violation and prevented from traveling to Al-Mokla by Sana’a Airport’s security authorities.
Al-Sharabi told “Alsahwa.net” that he was insulted, pushed and threatened by a security officer who seized him for 20 minutes.
It is worth mentioning that Al-Sharabi and Hilal were directing to Al-Moklah to train journalists there.
The media department of the Islah party denounced the event, claiming the Yemeni Journalist Syndicate to immediately take serious position toward such repeated assaults committed by security against journalists.

Just like after the elections, punitive measures follow the expression of civil rights, demonstrating that the state bureaucracies, which should be apolitical, are rather an arm of the ruling party.

Al-Sahwa: November 26, 2007 – National Committee for Rights and Freedoms (HOOD) denounced transfer of 20 teachers from their schools in the wake of their participation in a protest held in Taiz province.

HOOD’s member, Twafiq al-Shoaibi, said that such arbitraries are illegal and lawless, aiming to deprive those teachers from their rights.

Hadramout Teachers Rep Fired by University Head

HADRAMOUT, Nov. 18 — Teaching staff at Hadramout University of Science and Technology have begun raising warnings, demanding the university administration meet their demands, which include applying the Law of Yemeni Universities at their university. They further demand administrative and academic reforms at the university.

The problem began Aug. 29 when the administrative board of the university’s teaching staff syndicate released a statement claiming 16 rights and demands by teaching staff. However, university Rector Ahmad Omar Bamashmous did not respond to their demands.

After their statement’s release, the teaching staff syndicate said it would escalate the situation through a partial strike. This dissatisfied Bamashmous, who considered such action an assault against the university.

Moreover, the protestors say their demands are not about money; rather, they simply demand reforming the academic and administrative board.

In an effort to resolve the problem, Bamashmous accused the syndicate of escalating the political situation in that region, alleging that they are related to protestors in Yemen’s southern governorates.

The problem worsened when Bamashmous called for the university council meeting, at which he removed the syndicate’s legally-elected representative.

However, the syndicate claimed the meeting was illegitimate, demanding the meeting’s minutes be cancelled. Despite the intervention of the governor, Bamashmous refused to meet the syndicate’s demands, for which the syndicate threatens to escalate the situation they remain unmet.

A Report Concerning a Threat to WJWC Chairwoman HOOD groups for lawful help declare their solidarity with Tawakul Karaman
Wednesday 7112007 HOOD online
Saturday 24 November 2007 / hoodonline.org

Women Journalists Without Chains Organization strongly condemned the uninterrupted death threatens its Chairwoman, Tawakul Abdulsalam Karaman, has been subjected to for more than a year through calls and phone messages. The last one was a message she received in 1112007 from the calling number (734606844)in which she was accused of attacking the national unity when she participated in Al-Dhal’e and Radfan festivals. She was threatened of death herself and her family , and she was ordered to stay at home for her and her family well-being .What more is that, she received tens of filthy messages repeating the offenses and slanders on herself said by the security journals,Al-Dastor and Al-Belad newspapers , and repeatedly said in phone calls from high leaderships charging her of being biased to Hammed Al-Ahmer.

WJWC organization highly appreciates the efforts its Chairwoman offering in defending human rights and freedoms, as well as prompting women to participate in the political field .And from here, it considers the threats that she has been exposed to is a great flagrant violation on the freedom of opinion and expression which is one of the totality of the degrading violations exposed to journalists in Yemen.

Being subject to several threats of death to its chairwoman as well as its journalists and other activists for rights, WJWC assures that this is an attempt to restrict and discard the work and participation of political women under the patronage of a government calls for and supports women rights and the access for them.

WJWC calls upon the authorities in charge to rapidly investigate the resources of these threats ,and carries all the responsibility to the president to protect its chairwoman and her family, and calls upon all the political parties and organizations in and outside the country to unite in solidarity with her.

HOOD groups for lawful help declare their solidarity with Tawakul Karaman and carry all the responsibility to the government to protect her and her family

Saturday 10112007, HOOD ONLINE

In a report issued from HOOD groups for lawful help in(Taiz,Hadramout,Al-Hodiedah,Al-Dhale’,Ibb,Raima,Al-Dal’a)while they were in Sana’a this week, they condemned the death threats for herself and her children and the harassment of offenses and slanders by SMS from the calling number(734606844) . Moreover, they carry Karaman’s safety to the responsibility of the government and its systems. In addition, a number of the male and female activists declare their solidarity with her as it is mentioned in the following report.

The report text:

HOOD groups for lawful help in the governorates stand against what the activists of rights, WJWC chairwoman, Mrs.Tawakul Abdulsalam Karaman has been subjected to of threats of death her children and offenses by SMS messages to prevent her from practicing her struggling role against tyranny and corruption . We strongly denounce such no responsible behaviors and declare our solidarity with her and carry Karaman’s safity to the responsibility of the government and its systems, and call upon the national and international organizations to stand by her.

Issued by Hood groups for Lawful help, Dhamar

7112007.

The supporters:

The journalist: Nemat Issa Abdu-Aden

The lawyer: Haeel Al-Helaly-Taiz

The journalist: Belal Sa’d Al-Rabyah-Al-Dhal’a

The lawyer: Somia Hussien Al-Khawlany

The lawyer: Anmar Ali Mansour-Aden

The journalist:Defa’a Saleh Naji –Aden

The lawyer: Linda Mohammed –Aden

The journalist: Nesreen Shadad-the Metropolis

Mr.Fua’d Hussan Abdu Al-Qader Al-Hameri- the Metropolis

The journalist:Abdurageeb Al –Hethiani- Al-Dhal’a

The lawyer: Kefaya Shamsan Al-Ma’mari-Taiz

For those who want to unite in solidarity with Tawakul Karaman send hisher solidarity to HOOD e-mail info@hoodonline

Or Fax No. 00967 1 2125212

Noteworthy , the activists Karaman has received a number of threats and cautions due to her civil activity . The last one she has received was last week from SMS message and call number (734606844) in which she was threatened of her children.

They wrote an article documenting 9000 Salifi Hashid tribesmen fighting in Saada, some were killed by friendly fire. And members of the Abyan-Aden Islamic Army training those fighters. Doesn’t the regime realize that by over-reacting like this, they are giving credibility to the allegations?

Yemen Times

SANA’A, Nov. 25 — Editor-in-Chief of Al-Share’ Weekly Nayef Hassan, the paper’s managing editor Nabeel Subei and Mahmoud Taha, a reporter, appeared on Saturday before Chief Judge of the State Security Penal Court Ridhwan Al-Namer at the first hearing for a lawsuit filed against the newspaper by the Defense Ministry.

At the hearing, the press members demanded that the court adjourn the hearing so that they can appoint a lawyer to defend them. The judge then accepted their request and adjourned the trial until December 8.

The three journalists were summoned last Wednesday to appear before the court after the prosecution investigated them regarding the lawsuit by the Defense Ministry against them for publishing a story about voluntary fighters who support the army in the Sa’ada fighting. The indictment demanded that the three pressmen be executed under new legal provisions.

Referring Al-Share’ Weekly to State Security Court provoked protests at domestic and international levels because the court specializes in terrorism and not in publication or press issues. (Read on …)

This is a good article on an area lacking documentation: YT

Political activities at Sana’a University affect student performance. As a result, fighting has broken out among students many times, including reported shooting incidents. A report by Amel Al-Ariqi, Fatima Al-Ajel and Al-Miqdad Mojalli.

Political Security arrested Amin Al-Faqih in 2003 for conducting political activities at Sana’a University.

At that time, Al-Faqih was head of the General Union of Yemeni Students, known as GUYS, while being a level four student in the university’s Faculty of Languages. He also belonged to Islah, Yemen’s largest opposition political party. (Read on …)

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.

Was there a verdict? Its the stupidest, most absurd set of charges the regime has ever had the audacity to level. It doesn’t even make sense to charge a journalist with publishing war news….

Al-Sahwa

November 11, 2007 – Sana’a penal court decided to refer the Sana’a cell including the journalist Abdul-Karim al-Khaiwani to the Supreme Court to issue a sentence against it.

The court headed by Judge Mohsen Alwan had asked two weeks as limitation to show its stance toward the defense team.

The prosecution had accused 14 suspects of involving in an armed band aimed to damage the state security and propagate false news about Saada war.

The defense argument that the court itself is unconstitutional was referred to the Supreme Court, I think:

SANA’A, NewsYemen

The Primary Penal Court decided in its session Sunday to refer the argument against the court raised by the lawyer of journalist Abdul-Karim al-Khiwani to the constitutional circle in the Supreme Court.

“We do not appoint ourselves”, said head of the court the Judge Mohsin Alwan, referring to the argument of al-Khiwani’s lawyer that the Penal Court is not constitutional.

The Prosecution representative Khalid al-Maweri said the complaint against the court should not be raised to a primary court, but to the Supreme Court, asking the judge not to respond to the argument. The court adjourned the trial to Sunday, November 25.

The trial of al-Khiwani, former editor of Al-Shoura newspaper, along with other 14 persons charged of forming so-called Sana’a Cell to commit criminal acts started last July 2007. They are accused of planning attacks against national interests and threatening the society’s safety and stability.

Al-Khiwani is also accused of writing articles against President Ali Abdullah Saleh and supporting rebels in Saada governorate.

How tacky. Its one thing to imprison the political opposition, critics and journalists in your own country, but to try to kill some one, twice, in a foreign country is a bit obnoxious. Ah but it was just a warning. Otherwise, he’d be dead.

From the Empty Quarter:

Not very many details at this point, just that two attempts have been thwarted recently by security personnel. Apparently, the assassins first sent a gang to kill him (former Yemeni president Ali Nasser Mohammed) in Damascus, but for some reason were unable to do so. Now they have attempted again in an unnamed “Arab capital.” Sources close to the former leader said they believe the assassination attempts were meant only as a warning, given the current conflict in southern Yemen, and not meant to really kill Ali Nasser. The article is careful to say that the source did not implicate anyone in the attempts…wimps. Hmmm, I wonder who would have motive – a party worried about external conspirators perhaps.

Those guys in the UK better look both ways when they cross the street.

Al=Sahwa via the Yemen Times

Yemen Times

- JMP concerned about investigations into bloody events

The weekly paper reported that the branch of Joint Meeting Parties JMP in Al-Dhale province expressed concerns over investigations into the bloody events that happened in September 10 and left two people dead and seven wounded. The parties noted defense-advocates of the victims were prevented from getting acquainted with the case details in order to follow the necessary legal steps. The JMP said the concerned authorities on the case are trying to fake facts and fabricate accusations to dissolve the case under the law.

The statement of the JMP issued on Tuesday demanded the public prosecution to be partial during investigations and asked to arrest murderers. In addition it demanded to enable the families of the two killed persons to practice their legal right represented in getting acquainted with the details of the case. The families have the right to provide all evidence in relation to the case, the statement said. The statement spoke to the JMP fans, civil society organizations and social figures supporting the families to bolster the case and invited them to attend a ceremony for the martyrs of peaceful struggle to be held on Thursday at Al-Samood square.

The JMP emphasized his solidarity with the families of martyrs and wounded persons due to peaceful struggle in Radfan, Hadramout and other province in Yemen. It asked the government to release all arrested persons, primarily Hassan Ba-oom and Nasser Al-Nouba. In addition the JMP expressed solidarity with the families of those killed or wounded in the bloody events at the Al-Habilain stadium on October 13.

Yemen Times

LAHJ, Oct. 21 — The protest continues in Radfan, where citizens spanning the districts of Lahj governorate and other provinces come to participate in the open-ended sit-in, demanding the authority to arrest perpetrators who opened fire on citizens during the celebration of the anniversary of the 14th of October revolution.

Security forces claimed that an unidentified gunmen opened fire on opposition activists planning a march on Saturday 13 October. However, opposition sources said security forces had clashed with activists because the activists organized a march without government permission.

Eyewitnesses mentioned that some words were written on the banners lifted by the protesters demanding the legal rights of pensioners and unemployed youths. They also condemned the killing acts carried out by the security bodies during fighting protests held in Mukalla, Aden and recently in Radfan one day before the rally. Five persons were shot dead and 14 other were injured. The participants lifted the pictures of the killed persons.

President Ali Abdullah Saleh ordered the concerned parties to form a fact finding committee for this incident.

Al-Habilain, the capital city of Radfan experienced massive protests last week. The protests have been orchestrated by opposition parties including the Al-Islah (Reform) Party, the main Islamic opposition party, and the Yemeni Socialist Party, (YSP).

The Interior Ministry had warned political parties and professional associations that anyone staging unauthorized demonstrations “will have to take the consequences.”

However, these protests come as a continuation of the previous sit-ins and demonstrations organized by a group of the military pensioners who demand the review of their pensions especially under the current price hikes.

This is so repulsive: al-Badawi walks and al-Khaiwani is on trial. There is no truer indication of the real nature and intentions of the Yemeni regime than who they call a terrorist.

26 Septemper News 26 Sept

SAN’A(26sep.net)-Judicial sources told “26sep.net”that the penal court would continue its hearings over case of members of the “Sanaa terror cell” on Monday.

The cell’s members were accused of dropping grenades on military and police vehicles and planning for terror acts.

Prosecution said on July 4, that cell’s members assigned roles among them, in addition to targeting camps, security units and risking society safety.

The defendants are as follow:Ja’afar al Marhabi, Basim Humaidan, Mahfoodh al Kahlani, Ali al Hamzi, Yahya al Kahlani, , Khalil al Hasasi, Ismail al Shami, Ali al Kahlani, Hashim Hajar, Abdul Karim al Khiwani, Mona al Khalid, Ibrahim Abu Talib, Ahmed al Marahbi, Sa’ada al Faqih

Three killed and ten injured in South Yemen

Dispatch from Yemen, Saturday, October 13, 2007

A large demonstration is scheduled for tomorrow in South Yemen, where protests have been growing since May 2007. Today Yemen’s Central Security Forces descended on the podium that is the designated location for the demonstration and opened fire on protesters who had gathered in advance. The public gathering is being held to commemorate the revolution of October 14 in the city of Alhabaylin in Rdvan.

The security forces tried to evict citizens from the podium where the protesters had been having a sit-in for more than a week, but the protesters refused to leave their places. The security forces opened fire into the crowd, killing three and wounding ten. Some are in a critical condition.

The massive demonstration scheduled for tomorrow is in protest of the Yemeni regime’s brutal and institutionalized discrimination against residents of the former South Yemen after the 1994 civil war. The military has been deployed in advance of the protests including a number of tanks.

Names of the people who were killed:
Shafiq Haitham Hassan
Mohammed Nasser Haitham Alhalmi
Abdel Nasser Kassem Hamadi,

The wounded are:
Thabet Nasser Mohammed
Haitham Mohamed Saleh
Haitham Mohamed Cmsan
Said Muthanna Naji
Gran Nasser Mohammed
Saad Nasser Nasser
Thabet Mohamed Dkic
Saad stable future
Zaid Abdul Illah Muzahim
Fahmi Mohammed Hussein
Muhammad Ahmad Khomeini
Hussein Bin Hussein
Abdel Bari firm
Mohsen Abdel-Hamid Rajeh
Atef Haitham Nasser

RADFAN, Yemen—Riot police opened fire into a crowd of retired army officers Saturday, killing four people, activists and local medical officials said.
Hundreds of protesters gathered in the southern city of Radfan, about 185 miles south of the capital Sana’a, to prepare for a rally scheduled for Sunday to mark the 44th anniversary of southern Yemen’s uprising against British occupation.

The protesters were largely former soldiers who fought on the side of the breakaway south in a 1994 civil war.

North and South Yemen were united in 1990 under President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who had been the north’s president. In 1994, rebels announced the secession of the south, and battled northern forces for several months in a civil war that ended in their defeat.

The protesters were gathering to plan their own rally, which had been banned by the government on the grounds it would challenge an official event, according to an opposition leader who spoke on condition of anonymity fearing government reprisal.

The Yemeni government deployed more than 1,000 police and members of the security forces and sealed off several roads heading to Radfan, in an effort to prevent more people from joining the rally.

A scuffle broke out between some protesters and riot police, who then opened fire and killed four people and injured at least eight, according to the opposition leader.

The casualty figure was confirmed by a local hospital official, who asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
Southerners complain that they are kept out of government jobs, in favor of northerners brought in to fill the bureaucracy and security forces. Northerners also continue to hold large tracts of land in the south granted to them after the civil war.

The big demo is on October 14.

The regime’s position that peaceful sit-ins require pre-authorization is unconstitutional.

AFP

SANAA (AFP) — Yemen’s interior ministry has warned political parties and professional associations against staging unauthorised demonstrations, the official Saba news agency reported Saturday.

Anyone who violates this rule “will have to take the consequences,” it said.

Thousands of people have taken to the streets in recent weeks to protest against rising prices in one of the world’s poorest countries and to press for better public services.

The protests have been orchestrated by opposition parties, including the Al-Islah (Reform) Party, the main Islamist opposition party, and the Yemeni Socialist Party (YSP), which ruled the former south Yemen.

Two people were killed and 18 wounded on September 10 when security forces clashed with protesters in the southern town of Dhaleh.

Some of the demonstrators were former soldiers, who complained they had been forced into early retirement after Yemen’s 1994 civil war, which was sparked by a southern secession bid.

A human rights group said one person was killed and nine were wounded on September 1 after similar protests in the southern city of Al-Mukalla triggered clashes with police.

Quite correct. Hundreds of men remain in jail on suspicion of having sympathy with the Houthis. Some are boys. None have been charged. Many have been in jail since prior to the resumption of hostilities in January 2007. Their continued detention violates the cease fire agreement negotiated by Qatar in June, and the terms of the prior mediation in 2006.

SANA’A, NewsYemen

The Dignity Organization for Human Rights has appealed to what it has identified as “field team in-charge of arbitrary arrests” to release 37 detainees including juveniles arbitrarily arrested and detained for a year in al-Noseirya central prison in Hajja.

The Geneva-based organization said in the appeal that the Political Security’s intelligence arrested the detainees and put them in prison without applying legal measures in such cases.

It said that all detainees, who are from Hajja or live there, belong to the Zaidi sect. It said they have been arrested after events in Saada.

“During miserable events in Saada, tens of people were killed in armed confrontations between the state army and followers of Badraddin al-Houthi, one of Zaidi religious figures, who led a rebellion against the Yemeni government and raised slogans against America and was killed in September 2004. according to some sources, one thousand people have been arrested before, during and after those events,” said the organization.

“Many are still in prison after the detention which violated approved legal measures. Some detainees have spent 18 months term like Abdul-Rahman Mohammad al-Abali, case number 36 years, Ali Jaber Ali Masheeb, case number 37,” it said.

Most impressive is that some juveniles, two at 15 years and others at 17 and 18 years, are among detainees at the same prison with adults and suffering the same conditions, said the organization’s appeal.
It said that detainees are accused of having links to al-Houthi or showing sympathy with him.
But their families confirm that the main reason behind the arrests is that they belong to al-Zaidi sect or to tribes that offered support to al-Houthi, it said.

It said that those arrested without a judicial order have not been subjected to any judicial measures so they are not legally charged. It said some of those detainees have been arrested after they responded to calls by security to surrender and some have been raided by Political Security. It said that some sheikhs in the region have eased the arrests due to personal disputes with those detainees.

Abdul-Rahman Abdullah Siba’a was handed over to security by a tribal sheikh called Meshhel, who had personal difference with Siba’a, under the pretext he belongs to al-Houthi, said the organization.

It said that detainees have been subjected to beating and torture during secret investigations. It said that detainees live bad conditions in prison and that some are suffering diseases like malaria and need for urgent medical check. It added that detainees could not get an access to lawyers until now and their families could not visit them.

This is violation of international legal measures, the civil and political rights convention Yemen signed in 9 February 1987 and the international anti-torture convention Yemen singed in 5 October 1991, said the organization.
The organization has urged the team of arbitrary detentions to reconsider the issue of those detainees and to immediately intervene with the Yemeni government to settle the issue and get them released or put under legal protection.

The regime has a predictable pattern in responding to civil unrest: blaming the opposition and foreign forces, increasing violence and judicial repression, a hostile media campaign, avoiding addressing the issue honesty, rejecting any responsibility or any acknowledgment of legitimacy of popular grievences.

almotamar.net – The secretary general of the General People’s Congress (GPC) Abdulqader Bajammal has said the Yemeni unity is not just red line but a line drawn with blood too, emphasizing this is an essential issue. He said,” The GPC members will fight in the streets in defence of it (the unity)”.Bajammal added,” I hope if others can understand that who plays with fire he will get burnt with it.”

The GPC secretary general warned the Yemeni socialist Party (YSP) not to fall in the trap in which the Irish army had fallen. He criticised the role of YSP in supporting demonstrations and sit-ins that took place in a number of southern and eastern governorates and changing them from demands for rights of the retired into acts of riots and calls and slogans hostile to the national unity and social peace. (Read on …)

That’s true.

I agree with this assessment except for the chanting. There’s people all over the US chaniting against Bush, so chanting against Saleh doesn’t seem even slightly odd.

But its interesting that this guy, whoever he is, is disputing the statements of the security officials that protests in Aden and other places around the former PDRY are illegal. And clearly they are not according to the Yemeni constitution and common sense. Public protests are a basic civil right and mechanism of participation in the political system.

almotamar.net – Chairman of the parliamentary committee of defence and security general Yahya al-Haweri affirmed Sunday that protests carried out in the framework of democracy, pluralism, the constitution and the laws, whether they were unprompted or organised by any party are legitimate. But, he added, it is refused that during such activities to carry out riot acts, sabotage, blocking roads and chanting slogans against the national constants. He said, “This is a matter disagreeing with the homeland interest and the state has the right to and the duty to use its legal powers to preserve stability and the national interest.”

On the question of the retired al-Haweri said ,” We are with them and with their demands for rights,” reminding that the parliamentary committee of defence and security studied their subject and prepared detailed report in which it urged the concerned authorities in the government to tackle their cases and settle their dues.

He said the government worked on solving their problems and republican decrees were issued for promoting military ranks and forming government committees to receive grievances in various governorates. The committees considered tens of thousands of those complaints and solved them in line with the president’s directives.

In an interview with almotamar.net al-Haweri affirmed that what happened is that there are parties seeking to take advantage of the democratic space and sentiments of the retired respecting the issues related to their rights to deviate them to serve external sides. He advised those who are after foreign agendas to search for themselves roles far from impinging upon the unity.

The guy lead a demonstration – protesting discriminatory practices against Southern retired military. So they arrest him.

Al-Sahwa:

September 8, 2007- Yemeni security authorities have transferred the retired brigadier, Naser al-Nawba, and other 8 retried military officials from Aden into Sana’a in order to try them in military courts.

It is worth reclaiming that al-Nowba was arrested with other former retired officials due to involving in protests aiming to extract southern former officials’ and soldiers’ rights.

IHT

SAN’A, Yemen: Riot police fired bullets, unleashed tear gas and water cannons Tuesday to disperse thousands of protesters demanding the release of more than 200 disaffected southern Yemeni veterans and their sympathizers detained in daily protests this month, a police official said.

Tuesday’s demonstrations took place in several cities in Yemen’s southern province of Hadramawt, with protests burning tires and carrying red and black banners in a sign of mourning over the death of two demonstrators reported killed by security forces in similar protest Sunday.

No one was reported killed during the protests Tuesday.

The government deployed hundreds of riot police and sealed off several roads in the city of al-Mukalla, 560 kilometers (350 miles) southeast of the capital, San’a, where the biggest protest was held, said the police official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media. (Read on …)

Stalinism anyone? You may only speak praise. This subversion of the judiciary and security forces to negate civil liberties rather clearly demostrates the regime’s will to democratize, reform and clamp down on corruption is a show, a joke and a tragedy.

Sana’a: About 20 Yemenis will be put on trial following recent riots that killed two people and wounded dozens in southern provinces.

“Investigations [of] about 20 people arrested in the riots … in Aden and Mukalla … are [over] and they will be referred to courts very soon,” the Defence Ministry website quoted an unidentified official as saying.

Earlier in the week, the country’s highest security committee said it would put on trial for charges of “major treason” any individual or organisation calling for separation. Some of the demonstrators in the southern cities of Aden and Mukalla used slogans against greater unity between south and north.

“Any political party or group or individual [that] uses slogans against the national unity or calls for splitting the nation will be put on trial for charges of major treason according to constitution and laws in effect,” said a statement issued by supreme security committee.

The committee said it will take all necessary procedures to refer those elements to the prosecution and courts, the statement added.

It called upon all citizens, organisations and political parties to cooperate with the local authorities to stand against elements who work against the unity.

The opposition, however, considered the step as a return to the era of “tyranny and muzzling”.

‘Hating injustice’

“I wonder if slogans against corruption and injustice and plundering the lands and properties and also calling for equal citizenship … are against the unity,” said Aidarous Al Naqeeb, chairman of the parliamentary bloc of the Yemen Socialist Party, which used to rule the south before unity in 1990.

“Those who call for separation are very few and they are put in the demonstrations either by the security or they are a group of naive people. But the government should know the reasons why they use such slogans and it should treat these reasons.”

The socialist official, who is from the south, said the people in the south do not hate unity but they hate injustice.

“All Yemenis, especially the southerners, cheered for the unity … during and after the war of ‘94. So what caused them to be against the unity now, we should know the reasons, because they don’t hate unity but they hate the injustice and corruption and bad conditions,” Al Naqeeb said.

Al-Sahwa:

September 3, 2007-Gunmen kidnapped Monday the Yemeni writer and journalist Ahmed Bin Frid .

Meanwhile, a source of Retiree Coordination Council accused the security authorities of snatching Bin Frid because he used to support former retired soldiers in his articles.

On the other hand, members of Political Security apparatus raided the house of the retired general and the head of RCC, Nasser al-Nowba and took him to unknown place.

Moreover, the senior leader of the Yemeni Socialist Party, Ali Monasar was seized in Aden while he was heading to Lahj province to prepare to a meeting between YSP former members .

Yemen Times

SANA’A, Sept. 2 — Thousands of military and civil retirees poured into the streets of different southern and eastern governorates on Saturday in angry protests, imploring the government to listen to their demands and not to ignore their problems. The fiercest of them was staged in the city of Mukalla in Hadramout in which bloody clashes took place between policemen and protestors.

The security forces attempted to disperse the crowds by force and in fact arrested many of them. It has been learned that at least two people were killed and tens of protestors, along with policemen were injured in the clashes that drove rioters to damage cars and destroy trade stores.

The clashes broke out at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday following a peaceful demonstration that was organized by the Political and Public Function Coordination Committee and Military and Civil Retirees Coordination Council in Hadramout, as well as other social forums.

Furthermore, on the same day, Aden city experienced heavy deployment of security personnel in most of the city’s intersections after clashes between protestors and policemen broke out in the Sheikh Othman and Khor Maksar neighborhoods. During the clashes, 3 protestors were killed and 400 others injured. Most of those arrested, however, were released on the same day. Also, security forces prevented the crowd from holding a sit-in in Aden and vehemently dispersed those who started to gather with sticks and rubber bullets. (Read on …)

Al-Sahwa

September 4, 2007- The members of parliament, Ensaf Mayo and Mohammad al-Qubati, have claimed the Speaker of Parliament, Sheikh Abdulah al-Ahmer to immediately investigate military orders of violating them.

They accused the Central Security Commander, Colonel Hamoud al-Harthi, of ordering officials and soldiers of CS to assault them without any consideration to their parliamentary immunity.

They explained in a letter sent to the Speaker of Parliament on Tuesday that the so-called al-Harthi incited CS soldiers against them, accusing them of secessionism.

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.

pffft

Gulf News

Sanaa: Five main opposition parties in Yemen on Tuesday condemned the kidnapping and beating of a journalist for his critical writing, while the government considered the incident a “fabricated play” to offend authorities.

The journalist Abdul Kareem Al Khaiwani was found late Monday, about six hours after seven armed men kidnapped him from the heart of Sana’a, bundled him into a luxurious car and drove to the outskirts of the city where they beat him and threw him out.

“These are the criminal styles of gangs and thugs of the authority against Al Khaiwani who has been kidnapped and attacked over and over again since 2004,” the opposition alliance said in their statement.

The opposition held the authorities responsible for the attack and asked the government to bring the perpetrators to justice.

The security authorities denied that they were behind the kidnapping saying it was only a “fabricated ploy” to damage the government’s reputation.

Rebellion

“The allegations are pure lies and fabrications similar to a play arranged with the objective of offending the reputation of the security agencies and the political regime, pluralism and democracy,” the state-run media quoted an unidentified security official as saying.

“This made-up issue seems to be an attempt to affect the case being looked at by the court, in which Al Khaiwani is accused within the third Sana’a cell [group accused of sabotage acts] which carried out bombings in Sana’a during which two security officers were killed, in addition to two children, one killed and the other injured.”

Al Khaiwani, whose writings are very critical to senior officials including President Saleh, was arrested last June on charges of spreading the ideas of Al Houthi rebels in Sa’ada.

He was put on trial with a group of people accused of attempting to carry out sabotage acts in Sana’a to support Al Houthi rebellion. He was released on bail, and the trial is ongoing.

Al Khaiwani always denies that he did anything against the law.

“They gave me the last ultimatum, and they threatened to kill me, my children and my wife if I write again about my masters,” Al Khaiwani told reporters.

Yemen Times

SANA’A, August, 29 –– The journalist and political researcher, Abdul-Kareem Al-Khaiwani, who is a member of the popular forces political party, was abducted and attacked by unknown security personnel last Monday.

Al-Khaiwani stated, “I personally hold the president Ali Abdullah Saleh responsible for my life as well as the life of my family.”

“The president should treat me as a Yemeni citizen, admitting my rights and preventing the security bodies from harming me. As president of the republic, he should not publicly declare me as his enemy. He should not writhe with fury and indignation against me, encouraging security bodies to annoy me. I fear they may murder me and my family members if I again write against the regime or against the president,” Al-Khaiwani added.

A group of civil right organizations and opposition parties denounced the abduction of Al-Khaiwani due to his writings against corruption and ruling system.

They drove him by a car whose number plate was painted black. They took him to unknown place where they bashed him severely. They also left him in undeveloped area.

The armed personnel confiscated the passport, ID card and the mobile phone of Al-Khaiwani. They also intimidated him with murder along with his family if he writes anything against the president or the national unity, according to the committee sources, specifying an article published by Al-Nedda weekly newspaper in August, 26th. The article was entitled “pro-state, a country behind walls”. Al-Khaiwani discussed the prisoners’ situations and how they are treated.”

The JMP allaince of opposition parties commented on this: “These criminal acts are a reflection of the bully activists and gangs of the authority since 2004 with the associate Al-Khaiwani who was exposed to so many abductions. His family is now scared. These frightening measures will not stop penholders from writing such as Al-Khaiwani as well as those who call for freedom, justice, equality and human rights.”

The Yemeni journalists syndicate expresses its sadness over a statement released by security source published by the ruling party media which denied the incident, describing it as a drama.

The syndicate also said, “The quick denial of the security bodies for the incident taking place in the center of in front of journalists and citizens, indicates that the security bodies are apathetic toward the crime.” The source also appealed to the president to penalize the perpetrators and hold the concerned officials responsible for neglecting their duties.

The international journalists’ protection committee demanded the investigation of the incident. “There are some doubts over the connection of the armed gang with the Yemeni security forces,” according to local journalists who talked to the committee.

Likewise, hundreds of journalists spanning the country considered this incident a reflection of the suppressing mentality of a system behaving like guerrillas and bandits. They also considered the abduction of Al-Khaiwani is a message for those who practice the same job against a regime controlled by corruption and tyranny, demanding the syndicate as well as the political powers and human rights organizations to press authorities to reveal the perpetrators and present them before prosecution.

Al-Khaiwani was detained in June, 20 by the state security bodies, attacking his house. He was released by guaranty by the end of July. He was exposed to battery by a security personnel dragging him into the prison barefooted and with underwear clothes. Al-Khaiwani suffered a lot due to his criticism of bequeathing the rule as well as job nepotism in addition to criticizing war between the government and the Houthis in Sa’ada.

It was mentioned that when Al-Khaiwani was the editor in chief of Al-Shoura weekly newspaper and Al-Shoura’ net, he was accused of insulting the president as well as publishing false news in addition to inciting discrimination between areas and tribal feuds. This is attributed to publishing articles criticizing the way the government treats most of the issues.

The State-run media affiliated to the ruling party published last Tuesday a statement belonging to a security source in the capital secretariat. They denied the incident of abducting and attacking Al-Khaiwani, considering that Al-Khaiwani fabricated a drama of abduction aiming at harming the security bodies. The source said that Al-Khaiwain was invited to attend a wedding party in Khawlan area before he pretended that.“

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.

SANA’A, Aug. 19 — An official study showed that 77 percent of the juveniles are detained in the Yemeni prisons without any verdicts. However, 23 percent of whom are detained by the prosecution and the primary courts with under imprisonment verdicts ranging between six months and one and a half year, according to the study.
(Read on …)

educational opportunity like everything else is politicized

Saada War
The Southern protests
Tribal tensions
Taiz and other cities protests
The students

SANA’A, August 19 — Strong clashes occurred between soldiers and students enrolling at Sana’a University last Sunday in the yard of the Faculty of Trading and Commerce.

An eyewitness confirmed that soldiers and students fired shots during the enrolling process. One student, Ameen Al-Shubati, was injured and taken to the hospital after a soldier beat him in the head with the back of his pistol. The eyewitness indicated that the incident occurred in sequence with student protests against the enrolling committee at the Faculty of Trading and Commerce, accusing the faculty of unfairly distinguishing between students in the enrolling process. The eyewitness added that four of the soldiers were carrying weapons and about four others carried cudgels.

The General Union of Yemeni Students condemned the firing of shots and bashing of students with cudgels during the enrolling process. Redhwan Mass’oud, head of the General Union of Yemeni Students considered these acts as terrorism against university students and asked the concerned authorities to transfer the soldiers to the judiciary to be punished and to substitute the military guards with civil guards.

Abdul Malek Al-Sayiaghi, head of the General People’s Congress (GPC) at the Faculty of Trading and Commerce, considered that Mass’oud’s demands were geared toward clearing the university yard of security in order to encourage fighting and to attack university guards attempting to quell ensuing violence.

Al-Sayiaghi affirmed that the incident occurred when a group of Islah-affiliated students started distributing some enrollment forms and partisan slogans to students. He added that one of the Islah-affiliated students was the first to fire shots.

Al-Sayiaghi expected further incidents in the future and considered such incident the result of a lack of awareness among students of enrollment procedures.

There were more than 1,000 students and only one committee to receive students’ documents while there were three committees last year.

It is expected that Yemeni universities, in which the enrolling period started Saturday, August 18, will receive about 65,000 students for the 2007 – 2008 academic year.

Al-Sahwa

MP threatened of killing

August 14, 2007- The Parliamentarian, Sultan al-Samai, has affirmed to Alsahwa.net that he was threatened with killing by messages through his mobile phone. He said that he received over 12 messages which included threats of assassination.

Al-Samai said that he was threatened because he had taken part in preparing for a JMP-sponsored sit-in which is set to be on Wednesday. He said that he would not back and would continue to prepare for the sit-in.

Wow, Saleh unplugged

Why is Libya meddling in Yemeni affairs anyway? Really there’s enough headaches without Khaddafi throwing money everywhere. The Saudis do enough of that.

Almotamar.net –
Defeated forces utilize people’s issues to remind of themselves: Saleh

President Ali Abdullah Saleh affirmed there are elements that have missed the train and try to remind others of themselves by badly taking advantage of issues of the retired. He pointed out that all the defeated forces; whether inside or abroad want to remind of themselves. The president said the political parties exploited demands of the pensioned and “everyday they will create disorder “, confirming if the opposition had reconsidered its performance, criticised itself and overcome the irresponsible fuss it would be acceptable.

The president considered continuation in igniting fires, which does not s0o,ve issues, it would affect he process of development and investment, saying that would make the opposition action a devastating act and not democratic. He added that the leaders of the Joint Meeting Parties want to justify their failure in the presidential and local elections and therefore they try to pass into the role of talking in the name of the people regarding the question of the rise in prices of foodstuffs despite that is an international state rather than the prices of Ali Mujawar (Yemen’s prime minister).

Al-Wasat newspaper that conducted an interview with President Ali Abdullah Saleh said it was able to obtain a meeting with the head of the state without much effort whereas it remained demanding Mohammed al-Yadoumi, the former secretary general of the Yemeni Congregation for Reform Party (Islah) and he successor Abdulwahab al-A’nsi for an interview but in vain. (Read on …)

al-Sahwa

The faculty of Commerce and Administration in Ibb province issued a decision which provide to deprive 90 students of exams as they had refused to take part in the youth festival set up on the occasion of Yemen’s National Day , the 22nd of May .

For its part, HOOD Organizations for Rights and Freedoms considered this process as a crime committed against the students.

The member of HOOD said that this act contracts the state- constitution and all laws, demanding, in the mean time, to treat university students rightly and justly.

Almotamar.net – Official legal report disclosed Friday the existence of more than 100 hostages inside five Yemeni prisons. Hostages kept in those prisons pursuant to directives f sheikhs and personalities over their relation to Yemenis who committed various crimes.

A report prepared by the ministry of human rights, almotamar.net received a copy of it, mentioned that some inmates of those prisons have spent more than 13 years without standing trial, clarifying
that their detention represents violation of human rights and that they have the right to fair trial leading to acquittal or condemnation.

The report strongly criticised prisons conditions that are suffering great shortage in health care services, nutrition, and medicines particularly medicines for children, let alone the limited number of medical workers.

The report indicated that the central prisons in Sana’a, Aden, Taiz, Lahj, Ibb and Thamar suffer from weakness of their buildings, shortage in repairs, overcrowded, lack of means of communicating with outside world and shortage in beddings and detergents.

On the other hand the report mentioned that despite scarcity of abilities the prisons are suffering from the people in charge there adopts good training and educating programmes. Many prisoners practice some professions such as sewing, carpentry and embroidery and some of them are enrolled in illiteracy eradication programmes to enable them learning reading and writing and recitation of Koran in addition to practicing some sport activities.

The report criticised policies of officials administering the prisons regarding the mingling the Yemeni prisoners with illegal migrants from Somalis and Eritrean that can lead to communication of infectious diseases to some local prisoners in case there are such diseases among foreign prisoners.

The report also criticised the mixing of prisoners accused of serious crimes and those of civil crimes, demanding concerned authorities to improve conditions of prisoners, raising financial allocations for prisons, releasing hostages detained without legal justifications and paying debts imposed on insolvent prisoners.

Almotamar.net – Member of the Yemeni Shoura council, chairman of al-Habari Group for Industries Yahya Ali Al-Habari came under abortive attempted assassination on Thursday morning at Al-Hasaba area in Sana’a.

Al-Habari told almotamar.net six gunmen opened fire on him near thee company offices situated in Arab League Street in Hasaba, wounding his driver while he escaped the killing attempt.

The businessman added the attackers were from Arahab area, Sana’a governorate and their car plate number has been written down and the concerned authorities have been informed on the incident.

He said the minister of interior Dr Rashad Al-Alimi has given his orders for arresting the attackers to be sent to court. Policemen opened file on the incident to chase the suspects whom Al-Habari accused to be behind the assassination attempt because he refused an extortion operation.

Sanaa, 15 June (AKI) – Gunmen in Yemen believed to be Islamic extremists have shot and wounded the head of the country’s parliamentary human rights commission according to a report Friday on an Arab news portal. Yhya al-Hibari was travelling in a car in the centre of the capital Sanaa on Thursday when he came under fire, the Moheet portal reported. His chaffeur was also hit and was taken to a hospital where his condition was described as serious, the report said.

YT

Al-Habari, a senior businessman, who has strong ties with the ruling party, the General People Congress, has showed his support many times to government policies especially levying taxes on senior businessmen.

Yemeni Chambers of Commerce Union, Freedoms Committee at the Consultative Council, and the Ministry of Youth and Sport as well as Al-Ahli Club denounced the assassination attempt and demanded the concerned security authorities to catch the perpetrators and refer them to judiciary as such a phenomenon defames Yemen among investors.

Al-Habari told Al-Ayyam he was heading to his office without body guards as per his tradition. Suddenly, gunmen intercept with their car and fired randomly at his car, hinting he personally knows those who targeted him and they belong to some security institutions.

He pleaded upon President Saleh to work on limiting arms bearing as such phenomenon harms the country’s reputation and pushes investors out, hinting that he would sell all his belongings and leave the country if the situation remain as it is.

Likewise, Al-Habari called on the Parliament to hasten issuing arms bearing law as arms have become a means for terrorizing and blackmailing citizens, maintaining that investments usually prefer quite and armless environments.

Could be some tribal thing unrelated to the current political situation, but generally speaking, marching: good; shooting: bad.

Almotamar.net – A relative of the Yemeni Prime Minister Dr Ali Mohammed Mujwar died in Abyan governorate Sunday evening of fire shots by unidentified gunmen.

Security sources told almotamar.net that Farid Saleh Ahmed Mujwar nephew of the prime minister, the son of Abyan governor brother died Sunday of fire shots by unidentified persons when he was in a farm where he works as agent to its owner in Sakin Uwais area, 5 km from Jaar district in Abyan governorate.

Security men closed down the area where the incident took place to chase and arrest the killers, their motives are not known yet.

Al-Sahwa:

June 9, 2007- The Teacher Syndicate in Taiz has revealed that some teachers were imprisoned in Tiaz because they had put questions about corruption in the last semester exams.

A well-informed source in the syndicate said that this behavior is a violation of the government mottos about combating corruption, demanding, in the meantime, the Political Security Organization to rehabilitate and apologize those teachers.

Another YT oped

I was truly shocked by the threats and abuses that Mohammed al-Sabri, spokesman of the opposition coalition has been receiving through the last two weeks. I personally saw some of the badmouthing sent through a mobile. It is really awful and disgusting to see such insulting messages. I felt completely sad about the future of this country. It is a substantial degradation of the political drive in the country.

After each statement the spokesman makes, he receives similar insulting messages from the same number. The messages show that the sender is angry with the press statements regarding several issues. He is not an ordinary man but someone who is politically motivated and is angered by such statements. Whom do you think? Can you sort out this puzzle? (Read on …)

A rather forthright editorial:

Republic of Yemen is not a free country. It is ruled by a cruel system that controls our every day life. Our phones are tapped. Our talk is recorded. Every move is monitored, and every action is registered.

One would think that with such severe security measures, peace and stability would prevail. One would think that order and rule of law would dominate and the judiciary system is above all. Unfortunately this is not true, not even remotely.

Not only are we ruled by the fierce fist of security, we also have no legal rights or justice. Civilians are kidnapped and killed everyday. press is paranoid with self-censorship to the extent that the majority of Yemeni media have become “more royal than the king”, and last but not least, we are living in a state of fear.

Yemenis fear for their lives because of the spread of arms and the absence of law. Yemenis fear for their living because of the deteriorating living standards and soaring prices of basic commodities. They fear for their health because of the enormous risk of catching diseases and the pathetic health care services. They fear for their intelligence because of the ridiculous education and spread of ignorance, not to mention being stoned half the time with Qat.

But most of all, Yemenis fear for their freedom because they are driven into the verge of insanity, always looking behind their shoulder. For at any time, without having a chance to defend yourself, someone could simply accuse you of being a terrorist, an Islamic fundamentalist, a spy of a “friend country” – which by the way the government maintains diplomatic ties with, only it kidnaps and harasses anyone who is suspected of entering its embassy. Someone could accuse you of being a threat to “public security” because of voicing unconventional ideas such as equal citizenship and freedom of expression, and last but not least, the latest fashion is the accusation of being a Houthi follower.

Everyone knows Yemen is a “strategic partner” in the global war against terror. Under the pretext of terrorism everything is possible. After all, everything is allowed in love and war, isn’t it? And who loves us more than our beloved government?

I used to think that we are in a country with a margin of freedom and emerging democracy. I used to look with pride to our recent presidential and local council elections and admire how close we have become to reasonably free elections, especially when I look at the political systems of less fortunate countries.

But, my smile fades when I realise how small this achievement is compared to the undignified life Yemenis suffer everyday. I don’t care if the coming elections are going to be fair and if I am not going to live long to witness them, either because I have starved to death, died of malaria, or lost my sanity because of everything else.

This on the other hand is good news, resolving one issue lingering and causing discontent since the 1994 civil war by equally applying the current wages law to include former Southern soldiers.

Could addressing systematic land theft be next? Probably not, considering that would require confronting the “influential persons” who are stealing it.

SANA’A, May 5 — Both partisan and media sources report that military and security leaders have promised to improve the living conditions of those personnel forced to retire following the 1994 Civil War.

The sources add, “Deputy Premier Interior Minister Rashad Al-Alimi last week ordered forming a committee headed by Deputy Minister of Interior for Financial Affairs Riyadh Al-Qirshi to look into the demands of the ministry’s pensioners, who initiated an open sit-in last month in conjunction with a similar sit-in by armed forces pensioners.”

Meanwhile, the committee decided to reinstate to their units those who were forced to retire and illegally referred to pension, as well as grant them their entitlements, including recent salary increases ensured according to the Wages and Salary Law.

Similarly, the Ministry of Defense is preparing to resolve the problems of army pensioners in collaboration with the Civil Service Ministry. Preparations will include those from southern and eastern Yemen who were forced to retire and illegally referred to pension following the 1994 Civil War.

26September.net reported Abdullah Al-Kaboudi, director of financial affairs at the Defense Ministry, as saying that his ministry has conducted numerous meetings with concerned authorities to come up with solutions within the coming days.

Hundreds of pensioners from southern and eastern Yemen staged a peaceful sit-in for more than a month, demanding settling their issues and granting them their deserved entitlements.

Yemeni authorities who won the 1994 Civil War discharged thousands of military and civil employees from southern and eastern Yemeni governorates.

In a letter to Prime Minister Ali Mujawar, the Social Pensioners Association in Aden, Abyan and Hadramout requested he include pensioners from those areas within the Wage Law’s new salary strategy.

“Nearly two years have passed since July 7, 2005, when pensioners whose salaries are less than YR 15,978 deserved increases to become equal to the minimum salary of pensioners decided in the new strategy,” the letter stated.

The pensioners also asked the prime minister to grant them their entitlements retroactively, beginning from July 1, 2006, as is the case with all state employees, in addition to raising the minimum salary of pensioners to YR 20,000 (approximately $100).

The chairman of the pensioners association pointed out that the group sent lists of pensioners from Aden, Abyan and Hadramout to the Ministry of Civil Service and Insurance, which referred them to the Finance Ministry.

Many observers stress the importance of managing price hikes by increasing pensioners’ salaries, noting that Article 63 of the Pension Law states that pensioners should receive 50 percent of any salary increase granted to those in service.

Although the law’s second clause of Article 77 was implemented correctly, pensioners didn’t receive their due increases, despite the fact that prices have increased 10 times since the Pension Law was issued.

In his research published by Al-Ayyam daily newspaper, former U.N. expert Mohammed Basharahil hints that Civil Service Minister Hamoud Al-Soufi is responsible for observing price increases and reporting the matter to President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

He suggests establishing an economic department at the Civil Service Ministry whose main tasks would be to observe price increases and their effect on citizens’ lives, especially when such increases exceed five percent.

Basharahil pointed out that although the minimum wage was set at YR 20,000 in the 2005 Wages and Salary Law, prices so far have increased 35 percent. He maintains that after two years, Yemeni minimum wage actually should be no less than YR 100,000 after two years.

He adds that if there’s no mechanism to implement appropriate laws, poverty among pensioners will increase.

WASHINGTON, 01 May (Saba) - President Saleh confirmed government’s concern of the expatriates affaires and its interest to care them through the Ministry of Expatriates to strengthening their contact and the linking bridge with their homeland and to make their life in migration fruitful and useful for them and their homeland.

President Saleh addressed the Yemeni expatriates in a meeting held on Tuesday in Washington and joined the leaders and
representatives of Yemeni communities in USA. He said that he considered the Yemeni expatriates abroad as good ambassadors for
their homeland.

He emphasized on the necessity of activating the expatriates role and contribution in serving the process of development in their
homeland, he welcomed off the expatriates’ investments in Yemen on the light of promised investment opportunities.

He underlined the importance of conducting a comprehensive census for Yemeni expatriates in order to have complete information and data about them and the type of professions which they are working to enable the government help them and fulfill its duty towards
them.

The president listened to a number of community members who talk about their issues, problems and hopes.

They asked the president to organize an investment conference in Yemen and inviting all Yemeni expatriates abroad to participate in
the conference.

SANA’A, May 04 (26sep.net)- Yemen would commence on Saturday the first stage of insurance system for Yemeni expatriates in four Gulf states, Minister of Civil Service and Social Security Hamoud al-Soufi said.

Upon his departure to Saudi Arabia, along with Minister of Expatriates Affairs Saleh Hussein and Chairman of the General Corporation for Social Insurances Ahmed Saif, al-Souf made it clear that all technical procedures have been finalized to carry out the system stage by stage in coordination with the Ministry of Expatriates Affairs.

He said that the first stage includes four countries, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait. He pointed out that the system depends on the law of social insurance No. 26 of 1991.

SABA