A Blog That Makes a Difference - Armies of Liberation

Posted by Beth on May 20th, 2008 filed in Blogs, Cotillion, General, International, Islamofascism, Journalism, Petitions, Politics Yemen

I’m so lucky to call Jane (from Armies of Liberation) a friend, and this article about her just makes me burst with pride. Yay Janie!!!

BEIRUT, Lebanon — Jane Novak, a 46-year-old stay-at-home mother of two in New Jersey, has never been to Yemen. She speaks no Arabic, and freely admits that until a few years ago, she knew nothing about that strife-torn south Arabian country.

And yet Ms. Novak has become so well known in Yemen that newspaper editors say they sell more copies if her photograph — blond and smiling — is on the cover. Her blog, an outspoken news bulletin on Yemeni affairs, is banned there. The government’s allies routinely vilify her in print as an American agent, a Shiite monarchist, a member of Al Qaeda, or “the Zionist Novak.”

The worst of her many offenses is her dogged campaign on behalf of a Yemeni journalist, Abdul Karim al-Khaiwani, who incurred his government’s wrath by writing about a bloody rebellion in the far north of the country. He is on trial on sedition charges that could bring the death penalty, with a verdict expected Wednesday.

Right, remember him? Did you sign the letter? That’s what this is all about; Jane got an article in the New York Times, but as nice as it is to get some recognition, none of what she does is for personal glory or publicity for herself (in fact, she’s rather media-shy). It’s about liberation. Even while this article is in the New York Times, she’s working tirelessly for and worrying about al-Khaiwani’s verdict tomorrow.

It’s not too late. PLEASE, sign and pass on the word. The corrupt thugs in the Yemeni regime must be put on notice. A man’s life depends on it, and by extension, so do countless others like him who fight corrupt and brutal regimes.

The story, short version:

Renowned journalist Abdulkarim al-Khaiwani is one of Yemen’s most prominent democracy advocates - for which he has paid a steep price. His paper has been closed, his website blocked, and his children threatened. He is now due to be sentenced on May 21 for “insulting the president” and “demoralizing the military.”

During his arrest in June of 2007, Al-Khaiwani was beaten and his six-year-old daughter slapped unconscious. While released on bail in August, Al-Khaiwani was kidnapped and tortured by thugs who threatened his life if he continued to write about Yemen’s president.

As al-Khaiwani’s sentencing approaches, there is growing fear a guilty verdict will open the door for a brutal crackdown on Yemen’s already-endangered journalistic community. Join with al-Khawiani’s supporters in Yemen and throughout the world as we urge the Yemeni government not to imprison journalists for their work.

This is all you are asked to sign:

I write to protest Yemen’s prosecution of journalist Abdulkarim al-Khaiwani, who will be sentenced on May 21 for allegedly “insulting the president.”

Al-Khaiwani is an outspoken independent journalist repeatedly targeted by authorities. His newspaper has been closed, his website blocked, and his children threatened. Yemeni and international human rights groups have observed that the charges are simply political retribution and pose a serious threat to Yemen’s emerging free press.

Please intervene to ensure Al-Khaiwani goes free and that freedom of expression for all Yemeni journalists is protected.

That’s it. Will you sign your name to that simple statement on behalf of freedom?

http://campaigns.aicongress.org/yemen/