The Right Honourable Husayn Dayfallah al-Awadi
Minister of Information
Sanaa, Yemen

17 February 2006

Dear Minister,

We are writing on behalf of the World Association of Newspapers and the World Editors Forum, which represent 18,000 publications in 102 countries, to express our serious concern at the imprisonment of three journalists and the closure of three newspapers for publishing cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad that were first published in Denmark and have caused a storm of Muslim protest around the world.

According to reports, journalists Mohammad al-Asaadi, editor-in-chief of Yemen Observer, Abd al-Karim Sabra, managing editor of al-Hurriya weekly, and Yehiya al-Abed, reporter for al-Hurriya, have recently been jailed. A warrant has also been issued for the arrest of Kamal al-Aalafi, editor-in-chief of al-Rai al-Aam. The Ministry of Information has revoked the publishing licence of all three newspapers.

It is unclear whether the journalists are being held under the Press and Publications Law, which prohibits „publications that harm the Islamic faith and its sublime principles or that degrade the Semitic religions, and humanitarian beliefs‰, or Article 185 of the penal code. The penal code allows for detention for seven days, which can be extended for a further 45 days, while conviction under the press law carries a maximum sentence of up to one year in jail.

While appreciating that the cartoons have caused offence to many Muslims in Yemen and elsewhere, we respectfully remind you that the decision as to whether or not to publish such material is an editorial decision and not one with which the state should interfere.

We respectfully remind you that the jailing of Mr al-Asaadi, Mr al-Karim Sabra and Mr al-Abed and the closure of the three newspapers is a breach of the right to freedom of expression, which is guaranteed by numerous international conventions, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article 19 of the Declaration states: ’Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes the freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media, regardless of frontiers.’

We respectfully call on you to do everything possible to ensure that Mr al-Asaadi, Mr al-Karim Sabra and Mr al-Abed are immediately released from prison and that the three banned newspapers are permitted to publish free from state intervention. We urge you and your government to set an example to the Muslim world by demonstrating tolerance and engaging in dialogue, rather than succumbing to censorship and repression.

We look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.

Yours sincerely,

Gavin O’Reilly
President
World Association of Newspapers

George Brock
President
World Editors Forum

cc : Mr Kofi Annan, Secretary-General, United Nations
Mr Koichiro Matsuura, Director-General, UNESCO

WAN is the global organization for the newspaper industry, with formal representative status at the United Nations, UNESCO and the Council of Europe. The organization groups 18,000 newspapers in 102 countries, 11 news agencies and nine regional and world-wide press groups. WAN is non-governmental and non-profit.