Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07SANAA2052
2007-11-05 13:12:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Sanaa
Cable title:
ROYG TRIES NEW PRESS CONTROL TECHNIQUE -- BEGGING
how-toVZCZCXYZ0001 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHYN #2052 3091312 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 051312Z NOV 07 FM AMEMBASSY SANAA TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8347
C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 002052
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
FOR NEA/ARP
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/03/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM YM
SUBJECT: ROYG TRIES NEW PRESS CONTROL TECHNIQUE -- BEGGING
REF: A) SANAA 1625 B) SANAA 1586 C) SANAA 1831
Classified By: Ambassador Stephen A. Seche for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
(C) London-based Arabic language website "Aden Press"
reported on November 4 that Bashraheel Hisham Bashraheel,
international news editor of Aden-based opposition paper
Al-Ayyam, was detained by Political Security personnel while
interviewing a group of British tourists. When contacted by
the embassy, Bashraheel confirmed that he had been "harassed
and detained" for five or six hours by Political Security
forces. He went on to say that the Political Security
Office in Aden "begged" him not to report the incident in his
newspaper. (Note: The story was not reported anywhere in
the official Yemeni media on November 4. End Note.)
Comment. That a journalist was harassed and detained in
Yemen is no longer newsworthy. It is just another in a
string of harassment incidents (reftels). What is
interesting is that the Political Security Office pleaded
with him not to report the incident. This indicates that at
least some in the ROYG have learned that harassing
journalists is not generally acceptable and is something to
be hidden, and further, that intimidation alone is
increasingly ineffective in silencing journalists. On the
other hand, the comparatively gentle treatment Bashraheel
received might reflect the status of his family, which is
wealthy and influential.
SECHE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
FOR NEA/ARP
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/03/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM YM
SUBJECT: ROYG TRIES NEW PRESS CONTROL TECHNIQUE -- BEGGING
REF: A) SANAA 1625 B) SANAA 1586 C) SANAA 1831
Classified By: Ambassador Stephen A. Seche for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
(C) London-based Arabic language website "Aden Press"
reported on November 4 that Bashraheel Hisham Bashraheel,
international news editor of Aden-based opposition paper
Al-Ayyam, was detained by Political Security personnel while
interviewing a group of British tourists. When contacted by
the embassy, Bashraheel confirmed that he had been "harassed
and detained" for five or six hours by Political Security
forces. He went on to say that the Political Security
Office in Aden "begged" him not to report the incident in his
newspaper. (Note: The story was not reported anywhere in
the official Yemeni media on November 4. End Note.)
Comment. That a journalist was harassed and detained in
Yemen is no longer newsworthy. It is just another in a
string of harassment incidents (reftels). What is
interesting is that the Political Security Office pleaded
with him not to report the incident. This indicates that at
least some in the ROYG have learned that harassing
journalists is not generally acceptable and is something to
be hidden, and further, that intimidation alone is
increasingly ineffective in silencing journalists. On the
other hand, the comparatively gentle treatment Bashraheel
received might reflect the status of his family, which is
wealthy and influential.
SECHE