Yemeni Journalist Abducted after Criticising Government

MDE 31/011/2009

A male Yemeni journalist, Muhammad al-Maqalih, has been abducted in the capital, Sana’a. Government forces have mounted a series of attacks in Sa’da province, northern Yemen, since mid-August, including bombing raids against villages and towns. Muhammad al-Maqalih published criticism of the army’s killing of civilians on the Yemeni Socialist Party’s website

Muhammad al-Maqalih’s whereabouts are unknown, and his life is at risk. In Yemen, critics of the state are often at risk of arrest, detention, abduction and beatings.

Read more here.

Please send appeals as soon as possible, and before 12 November. Remember to send faxes when you can!

President ‘Ali ‘Abdullah Saleh
Office of the President of the Republic of Yemen
Sana’a
Republic of Yemen
Fax: +967 1 274147 (I faxed this number, it went through fine.)
(Salutation: Your Excellency)

Major General Ghaleb al-Qamash
Chairman of the Central Organ for Political Security
Central Organ for Political Security
Sana’a
Republic of Yemen
Fax: +967 1 443040 (Also works.)
(Salutation: Dear Sir)

Send copies to:

Minister of Human Rights
Houda ‘Ali ‘Abdullatif al-Baan
Ministry for Human Rights
Sana’a
Republic of Yemen
Fax: +967 1 444833
(Salutation: Your Excellency)

My letter below:

President ‘Ali ‘Abdullah Saleh
Office of the President of the Republic of Yemen
Sana’a
Republic of Yemen
+967 1 274147

Ole Koksvik
Philosophy, RSSS
The Australian National University ACT 0200
AUSTRALIA 14/10/2009

RE: Detainment of Muhammad al-Maqalih
Your Excellency,
My name is Ole Koksvik. I am a Norwegian citizen, an Australian Permanent Resident, a PhD Candidate at the Australian National University.

I am writing to call on the Yemeni authorities to clarify publicly Muhammad al-Maqalih’s whereabouts and to release him immediately and unconditionally if he is being held solely for his criticism of the government.

I would like to point out that if Muhammad al-Maqalih is being held solely for criticising the Yemeni government, Amnesty International would consider him to be a prisoner of conscience.

If, however, Muhammad al-Maqalih is held on suspicion of a recognizably criminal offence, I would urge the Yemeni authorities to ensure that he is protected from torture and other ill-treatment, and also to allow him prompt and regular access to a lawyer of his choosing, to his family and to any medical treatment that he may require.

Thank you for taking the time to read my concerns.

Yours sincerely,

Ole Koksvik