WASHINGTON, June 9 DC-AIC-Yemen-media
WASHINGTON, June 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Islamic Congress (AIC) today condemned the six year jail sentence with hard labor against award-winning Yemeni journalist Abdulkarim al-Khaiwani. The verdict was delivered this morning by a Yemeni judge, and al-Khaiwani was promptly taken to prison.
"We call on Yemen's president to correct this mistake and pardon al-Khaiwani," said Nasser Weddady, AIC's Civil Rights Outreach Director. "Otherwise it will appear that the Yemeni regime is tougher on independent journalists than on Al Qaeda terrorists."
Al-Khaiwani's case has garnered massive international attention over the past month, with global media coverage, over 1,400 people (including US Congressional leaders) sending letters to Yemeni officials, and Amnesty International short-listing al-Khaiwani for its prestigious "Human Rights Journalism under Threat" award.
Meanwhile, prominent terrorists, including the masterminds of the USS Cole bombing, freely roam Yemen's capital.
"The regime's attack on al-Khaiwani is really an attack on Yemen's free press and independent journalists," Weddady explained. "The regime is trying to block all coverage of the four-year war in the Sa'ada region, and they are targeting al-Khaiwani because he dared to report on the conflict and its devastating toll on local civilians."
AIC, which runs a special program to support civil rights in the Middle East, recognizes al-Khaiwani's persecution as a litmus test for regional reform. The organization hosts an online letter-writing campaign on the case at: http://campaigns.aicongress.org/yemen.
"Over 1,400 people have sent letters as part of our campaign," Weddady observed. "We will not rest until al-Khaiwani is released and freedom for all Yemeni journalists is secure."
The American Islamic Congress is a civil-rights organization promoting tolerance and the exchange of ideas among Muslims and between other peoples. With the motto "passionate about moderation," the organization leads initiatives around the world and has offices in Washington, Boston, Egypt, and Iraq.
SOURCE American Islamic Congress
