Yemen security confiscates newspaper

Protests in Yemen continue as media continues to face crackdowns.

International press freedom organizations have condemned the Yemeni security forces over the confiscation of a local independent newspaper on Sunday.

According to reports, Ahdath al-Madina was removed from newsstands by security in order to prevent its distribution in cities across the country, which is still battling between government forces and pro-change demonstrations.

It is not the first time the newspaper has been removed from public. Last April, the same newspaper was taken from the shelves and publicly burned.

Security forces claim the writing contains material “detrimental to the president [Ali Abdullah Saleh].”

Since protests erupted in February in the country, newspapers and media have been regularly removed by security, the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) reported, citing “desperate attempts” by the government to stop the growing anger directed toward Saleh.

“Continuity of confiscation and suppression of journalistic and media freedoms is totally unacceptable and is a serious sign of the deterioration of freedoms in Yemen,” said the Cairo-based ANHRI in a public statement.

“The Yemeni regime has to stop dealing with press and media as its enemies, and to take serious steps towards guaranteeing journalistic and media freedoms as legitimate means of expression that may not be confiscated under any circumstances or in any capacity.”

BM

Tags: ANHRI, Crackdown, Media, Newspapers, Security Forces, Yemen

Section: Media, Yemen