Gulf | Yemen
Yemeni editor goes on trial for reprinting caricatures
The prosecutor accused Mohammad Al Asadi, editor-in-chief of the English-language Yemen Observer, of reprinting the cartoons with "knowledge and will".
- By Nasser Arrabyee, Correspondent
- Published: 00:00 February 16, 2006
Sanaa: A Yemeni journalist was put on trial yesterday for reprinting the controversial blasphemous cartoons.
The prosecutor accused Mohammad Al Asadi, editor-in-chief of the English-language Yemen Observer, of reprinting the cartoons with "knowledge and will".
However, Al Asadi denied the charges saying he republished "parts of three cartoons with a big X on each" only to condemn, not to support or promote them.
Lawyers defending Al Asadi demanded the court order the release of their client on bail. But the court, chaired by Judge Mohammad Suheel, decided to adjourn the session to next Wednesday to listen to evidence from prosecutors. Then, the court will look at the request of the release, the judge said.
Al Asadi, Akram Sabra, editing manager of the Arabic-language Al Huria, and his deputy Yahya Abed have been in the custody of the prosecution since last week when the Ministry of Information filed a lawsuit against the two newspapers for reprinting the cartoons. The two editors of Al Huria will be put on trial on Saturday.
Last week, the ministry filed the lawsuit against the three newspapers, Observer, Al Huria and Al Ray Al Aam and cancelled their licences.
The ministry's decision came in for criticism for cancelling the newspapers' licences before the court issued a verdict.
The editor-in-chief of the Al Ray Al Aam, Kamal Al Olofi, has not yet presented himself to the prosecution despite warrants issued against him, a prosecutor said.
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