YEMENI OPPOSITION JOURNALIST REMAINS IN DETENTION

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 002725

SIPDIS

PLEASE PASS TO DRL/CRA DOLAN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/17/2014
TAGS: PGOV PHUM YM HUMAN RIGHTS DEMOCRATIC REFORM
SUBJECT: YEMENI OPPOSITION JOURNALIST REMAINS IN DETENTION

REF: A. SANAA 02498

B. SANAA 02501

Classified By: Ambassador Thomas C. Krajeski for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d
).


1. (SBU) Summary. Despite mounting pressure on the ROYG to
release opposition newspaper editor Abdulkarim al-Khaiwani,
he remains in prison. The local press reported that the ROYG
offered Khaiwani freedom in exchange for an apology for
publishing articles that the ROYG considers personal attacks
on President Saleh. Khaiwani publicly refused to back down
although government officials deny any such offer is on the
table. End Summary.

--------------
ROYG to Khaiwani Say Sorry?
--------------


2. (SBU) The local press alleges that the ROYG offered to
release imprisoned opposition newspaper editor Abdulkarim
al-Khaiwani if he resigns as editor of as-Shura newspaper and
apologizes to the government. Khaiwani has been imprisoned
since his September 5 conviction for several violations of
the Yemeni Press Law including
"supporting al-Houthi in his rebellion," publishing reports
damaging to the public interests, and "public humiliation" of
the President. (Ref A.) Attorneys for Khaiwani contend that
the ROYG is attempting to resolve the matter in "traditional
Yemeni fashion" by using family, party
members, and alternative interlocutors.


3. (SBU) Khaiwani associates report that he was visited in
prison by a well-dressed and unnamed representative from the
"President's office" offering to release him in exchange for
a public apology and his resignation. Khaiwani remains
defiant, stating publicly that he has no
intention of complying with the governments wishes. ROYG
officials deny such an offer was made.

--------------
Pressure Mounting
--------------


4. (SBU) Since Khaiwani,s arrest, pressure on the ROYG is
intensifying. Several newspapers have dedicated entire issues
to the case, and international organizations, including the
United Nations International Federation for Human Rights and
the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists, have
petitioned the ROYG for his release. Domestically,
opposition parties have held numerous meetings to discuss the
matter and Parliament's Committee for Culture and Information
has opened its own investigation. Journalists report that
they hope to plan a protest march to the President's house in
the near future.


5. (C) According to an official at the Ministry of Human
Rights, HR Minister as-Soswah has discussed the Khaiwani case
with President Saleh on more than one occasion pressing him
to resolve it. Other members of the Cabinet, however, have
expressed disagreement with the arrest but
refuse to weigh in. (Ref B.)

--------------
We want cartoons!
--------------


6. (SBU) Opposition and independent journalists now
consider Khaiwani's case a symbol of their struggle for press
freedoms. Journalists admit they are pushing the envelope by
crossing traditional red lines, but note that the time has
come to expand freedom of the press in Yemen. One journalist
commented that although the Khaiwani case may cause some in
the media to increase self-censorship, it has
also served to give hope to a growing circle of Yemeni
journalists. "Our dream," he said, "is to publish political
cartoons of President Saleh in the near future."


7. (C) Comment. Some ROYG insiders believe that the
President may have acted rashly to quell criticisms of his
actions during the sensitive time of the al-Houthi
insurgency. One MFA official confided that Khaiwani would
never been arrested if Presidential Advisor Dr. Iryani, ill
at the time, had been by Saleh's side to "calm him down."
The ROYG now finds itself in a difficult position. Currently
convicted under the Press Law, releasing Khaiwani in exchange
for an apology is tantamount to admission that the judicial
system is an afterthought of the Executive. However,
continuing to hold him emboldens the opposition and presents
the media with a potent symbol in its fight to expand press
freedoms. A solution to the ROYG's dilemma may be a "Ramadan
Reprieve" for Khaiwani. End Comment.
KRAJESKI