PressEthic

Yemen seems so far away, yet the problems being faced by journalists there should not be taken lightly. If not as an overall issue, at least to anyone involved in the field of journalism, these developments should be cause for concern.

There has been so much focus on the plight of journalists in Iraq, that it seems to have shifted the focus away from any other country.

According to an AP article, journalists in Yemen are facing a barrage of beatings, threats and ‘other forms of intimidation’ as the country prepares for a presidential election next year.

This is all the more disturbing, as Yemen has traditionally been know for having a relatively emancipated press in the Arab world.

According to one local press watchdog, at least 100 journalists have faced various forms of harassment this year, ranging from beatings and arrests to kidnappings and a letter-bombing that wounded a newspaper editor who wrote about a tribal leader's alleged private prison.

The authorities claim that the press is irresponsible, and prints stories based on rumor and hearsay.

''The press have been writing anything they want,'' said Social Affairs Minister Abdulkarim Al-Arhabi recently. ''The arrests of journalists is not good at all and shouldn't happen, but the press and the entire country is much better off if they reach a level of professionalism.''

The press claims otherwise.

''There has been a 90 percent increase in various attacks against journalists this year compared to 2004,'' said Mohammed Saada al-Odaimi, president of Yemen's Center of Training and Press Freedoms Protection. He said the government reduced press freedoms ''after being angered by the work of journalists.''

It is somewhat true that journalists in Yemen have not always maintained the highest standards of integrity ,while reporting on sensitive issues. However, unleashing such violence against them is unjustified under any conditions.

When will governments learn that browbeating the press into submission, will not resolve their problems?