US embassy cable - 03SANAA374

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 000374 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DRL FOR CRANER; DEPT FOR NEA-ARP 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/26/2013 
TAGS: PHUM, YM, HUMAN RIGHTS 
SUBJECT: 2002 HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT FOR YEMEN MUST BE CREDIBLE 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Edmund J. Hull for Reasons 1.5 (b,d) 
 
1.  (C)  Summary:  The Human Rights Report is a vital tool in 
Post's efforts to improve human rights in Yemen, and its 
credibility is central to that effort.  The draft 2002 Human 
Rights Report for Yemen is in danger of a damaging lack of 
credibility unless the report reflects the facts more 
accurately.  End Summary. 
 
2.  (C)  The Human Rights Report (HRR) is taken seriously in 
Yemen, both by the government and the public.  In the last 
couple of years, it was translated and published in several 
newspapers in its entirety.  Several conferences were held, 
and the ROYG published a point-by-point response to the 2001 
report in both Arabic and English newspapers. 
 
3.  (C)  Post's experience is that the HRR is the best tool 
available in encouraging improvements in Yemen's human 
rights.  Progress was made in several areas over the last few 
years, at least in part because of the HRR and Post's 
engagement on the issue.  For example, Post has witnessed a 
marked improvement in the treatment of detainees and 
prisoners by the Political Security Organization (PSO), in 
part due to highlighting abuse in past HRRs and training 
their forces in human rights during counter-terrorism 
training.  Citizens' ability to change their government has 
also improved over the last few years, with the establishment 
of local government and more widespread competition between 
political parties. 
 
4.  (C)  Because of the importance of the HRR tool in 
pressing the ROYG for changes in its human rights practices, 
the HRR must be strongly credible or the chance for change is 
diminished.  There are several areas of the draft 2002 report 
where credibility is in danger, including the following: 
 
--    Terrorist suspects detained by the ROYG at U.S. 
government request:  Post suggests an acknowledgment be made 
by using phrasing that alludes to "partners in the war on 
terrorism." 
 
--    Prosecution of the USS Cole detainees was delayed at 
U.S. government request to allow time for investigation: 
Post suggests language that alludes to "international law 
enforcement partners" in explaining why detainees were held 
beyond normal time limits. 
 
--    Yemeni security forces did not kill persons this year 
in an unlawful or extrajudicial manner.  All instances of 
death by security forces in the draft report came about 
during legitimate law enforcement activities pursuing 
terrorists, including the November 3 attack on al-Qaeda. 
Post suggests that the language "Members of the security 
forces killed a number of persons during the year" be changed 
to "There were no reports of arbitrary or unlawful 
deprivation of life committed by the Government or its 
agents." 
 
5.  (C)  In President Bush's State of the Union address, the 
predator attack on November 3 against al-Qaeda was 
highlighted as a significant success in the war on terror. 
It is inconsistent that a report from the Department of State 
would indicate that the same killing is extrajudicial or 
unlawful. 
HULL