May 27, 2009
Another Entirely Absurd Lie from Yemen
In the midst of what the Committee to Protect Journalists calls a "staggering number of attacks" on the Yemeni media -including the mass confiscation of nearly 100,000 newspaper copies- Yemen's Information MInister al Lawzi says the last several editions were “willingly disappeared”.
Ah! Well that explains it Lawzi, just like (the Yemeni government said) the southern protesters shot themselves to death, journalist al-Khaiwani beat himself up to damage the reputation of the security forces, and the riots were prompted by “opposition saboteurs in military uniforms” (that's actually what they said). Its like the country is run by a six year old bully who lies constantly and badly.
Back in the realm of reality, two passersby were killed when the police attacked al Ayyam newspaper with live gunfire and tear gas, thirty newspapers were shuttered, and seven papers that published NEWS (gasp!) of unrest in south Yemen were "accused of inciting their readers to armed insurrection." Two editors were banned from journalism for a year and many other cases are pending. The incitement charge carries the death penalty. of course, the internet is blocked. Meanwhile that lunatic kleptocratic thug President Saleh calls for "national dialog" (with a straight face) almost daily.
News Yemen: In his press conference on Tuesday, al-Lawzi told reporters that some newspapers willingly disappeared for some individual conditions and troubles with printers.But al-Lawzi said the ministry admitted that the Ministry of Information had warned the government and private printers to carry responsibility for any violation of press law...(Editors) said that owners of printers, private and public, still refuse to print newspapers which the Information Ministry has suspended.
