الجزء السادس.....
On July 23rd, the Southern Movement called for a demonstration in Zinjibar, the capital city of the province of Abyan in South-Yemen, to evince their solidarity to “Al-Ayyam” newspaper and to request the release of all activists of the Southern Movement who are arrested by the Yemeni government. The security forces and army units enforced a curfew over the city and attempted to prevent the participants from entering the city and had blocked communication services such as phones, internet and mobile phones in and around the city. The Security forces observed the demonstration and brought soldiers in position a few meters away from the demonstrators. As soon as the event ended, an exchange of fire started between civilians and the security forces resulting in the death of 17 civilians. Their names are: Alkhadher Nasser Saeed Al-Saidi, Awad Ahmed Aldabiah, Mahdi Omar Al-Queiti, Abdullah Al-Harcha Al-Omiri, Safwan Saif Abdul-Karim, Ali Salem Al-Qaaz, Kareem Aidaroos Ahmed, Mohamed Abdo Al-Shami, Mohamed Saleh Abdel-Qawi, Mohsen Al-Haddi, Ahmed Al-Sayyed Al-Marmi, Saleh Talib Mohsen, Salem Al-Jazzar Bin-Fellees, Mohamed Salem Samn, Mohammed Qaid Saleh, Ali Fadhl Muthana Hussein and Ahmed Hussein Mohammed Amshnini. The exchange of fire caused also the injury of decades some of them very seriously including a ****** of the southern women’s movement called Saeedah Al-Hindi. Six policemen amount them the deputy of the president of security affairs in the province of Abyanwere also injured.
It is still not clear who started the shooting in Zinjibar, the organizers of the event accused the security forces of starting shooting while the security forces accused the participants of the event. What we have confirmed is the failure of the security forces to transfer the injured to the hospital, moreover, they disallow others to treat or transfer the injured to hospital therefore many injured died on-site from bleeding. This is considered a flagrant offense against international law and a major violation of human rights.
On July 25th, many people in the city, Al-Dhali (South-Yemen), participated in a protest march organized by the Southern Movement to protest against the incidents of Zinjibar. The security forces used live bullets in an attempt to break it up which led to the death of Mohammed Saleh Murshid while Samid Hassan Ahmed injured in his left leg, Refaat Mohammed Hassan in his left shoulder, Nabeel Abdul-Malik Hussain in his right arm and Aref Nasser Howeidar on his head. It was also confirmed that one Soldier called Mohammed Saleh was injured by other soldiers because he refused to fire on the demonstrators.
2. Violation against the media (prosecute journalists, confiscation of newspapers, suspension and blocking of internet sites)
(It is truly regrettable that the state mobilizes all its resources to suppress the free media while rewards thieves and bandits with millions of Riyals) The Journalist Anis Mansour commenting on his conviction under publishing issues to imprisonment for 14 months.
- On 17th July, the first instance court of Al-Qubbaitah (North-Yemen) Judge Hassan Abdul-Rahman convicted the correspondent of Al-Ayyam newspaper in Taiz and jailed him for 14 months of publishing false news and participating in illegal demonstrations.
- The Yemeni Constitution guarantees both private and official media the dissemination of news and views about events, facts and incidents. But in the case of Mansour, we noticed that the trial continued 6 court sittings and the court convicted him based on the testimony of a number of security personnel and employees of the ruling party, making most of these testimonies questionable and confirming that the case had been politicized.
- The human rights and political and media activist Abdel-Rahman Al-Samti (South-Yemen) is still undergoing an imprisonment for 3 months in the capital of the province of Lahj (South-Yemen). Al-Samti faced a number of charges including the establishment of a ***** for supporters of “Al-Ayyam” newspaper and publishing in banned magazines.
- In July 26th, Al-SAmti was admitted to Ibn-Khaldun Hospital due to the deterioration of his medical condition. He was kept in the hospital two days and returned to prison despite warnings from doctors on the seriousness of his condition and his need to stay longer for hospitalization.
- Alsamti confirmed several times that his case is a political case and that he only practiced rights that are guaranteed by the Yemeni Constitution. He also stressed in this context that his trial is a part of overall repressions the southern activists had been experiencing for a long time.
- The political and media activist, editor of the electronic network “the Gulf of Aden” and Chairman of the Al-Taghieer (the change) organization in Aden, Salaah Al-Saqladi (South-Yemen) is still under arrest since June 18th is still arrested by the Yemeni authorities. Until now, Al-Saqladi has not been brought to trial or even charged with anything.
- The authorities are also still detaining the media activist Fouad Rashid (South-Yemen), editor of the site (Mukalla Press) and member of the e-Yemeni Journalists Syndicate for more than two months. Recently he was transferred to Sana’a and jailed there with another media activist, Ahmed Hussein Al-Rabizi (South Yemen) who was arrested in Aden previously and transferred later to Sana’a. He also was not brought to trial or charged with anything.
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