US embassy cable - 04SANAA2725

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. 
 
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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. 
 
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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