Front Line is concerned following reports that the sentence of Mr Abdul-Karim al-Khaiwani was upheld on 26 January 2009. Abdul-Kharim al-Khaiwani is the former Editor-in-Chief of the pro-democracy online newspaper, Al-Shoura, and a campaigner for the right to freedom of expression in Yemen.

Further Information

Abdul-Kharim al-Khaiwani participated in the Arab Forum for Freedom of Journalism in Beirut in December 2008 and won the Amnesty International 2008 Special Award for Human Rights Journalism Under Threat after being arrested for allegedly conspiring with rebels fighting the Yemeni government in 2007. He was the subject of an urgent appeal issued by Front Line on 2 December 2008 concerning a travel ban imposed against him in November 2008 when he was unable to attend the Amnesty International ceremony in which he would have been presented with his prize.

On 26 January 2009, the Yemeni Court of Appeal upheld a sentence against Abdul-Karim al-Khaiwani imposed under charges of engaging in anti-government propaganda with the intention of weakening the army's morale and causing social unrest. Abdul-Karim al-Khaiwani had been sentenced to six years' imprisonment under vague charges of “terrorism” which were reportedly never substantiated in Court. Although Abdul-Karim al-Khaiwani received a presidential pardon on 25 September 2008, the sentence has now been reimposed.

Front Line believes that the upholding of the sentence against Abdul-Karim Al-Khaiwani may be related to his continued legitmate and peaceful work in the defence of human rights, in particular his participation in the Arab Forum for Freedom of Journalism.