The Committee to Protect Journalists has today released a 
damning report on the Yemeni government's efforts to restrict press freedom. It looks in some detail at the legislative and administrative measures as well as extra-judicial violence against journalists.

In particular, it calls for the abolition of the Special Press and Publications Court (which in any case appears to be in breach of Yemen's constitution).

The CPJ also calls on donor countries to put pressure on Yemen over its harassment of the media. I doubt, though, that the international Friends of Yemen group will able to present a united front on this issue. The Friends of Yemen includes the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries which tend to share President Salih's views when it comes to dealing with troublesome journalists.

Posted by Brian Whitaker, 29 September 2010.