Yemen journalist plans legal action against eavesdroppers

Sanaa: A Yemeni journalist said he will file a lawsuit against "unknown bodies" who eavesdropped on a private conversation between himself and his wife.

The Al Jazeera reporter in Yemen, Ahmad Al Shalafy, said somebody had sent a recording of conversations between himself and his wife through e-mail to Al Jazeera headquarters in Qatar. The recording featured Al Shalafi's conversation on his selection as the Al Jazeera reporter in Yemen last year.

Al Shalafy confirmed that he has received a copy of the recording from Al Jazeera. "Nobody can do this except those who have access to high technology of monitoring private conversations," said Al Shalafi who did not accuse a specific body. He, however, demanded that the Ministry of Interior reveals the bodies behind the eavesdropping.

"This is a violation of rights and is against the constitution and laws," he said. He said he had already addressed a letter o the Minister of Interior asking him to reveal those behind the illegal practice.

Observers considered this as a threat message aiming to create a kind of intimidation and self-censorship on journalists.

The incident is the second of its kind in a few months. A local newspaper published the first such incident when it came out with a private conversation between a writer and a French woman colleague.

- The writer is a journalist based in Sanaa