The Danish cartoon crisis has extended into Yemen. Three local papers published this defamatory picture. A quick and hasty reaction closed these papers down and annulled their permission to publish. Additionally, the editors in chief were imprisoned (Yemen Observer, Al-Rai Al-Am, and Al-Hurriya).
Many became preoccupied by this offense and mosques began to collect donations to defend the Prophet (PBUH). Perhaps by the grace of God this strife came after the protests of July 2005 and its subsequent massacre and destruction. This crisis comes at a time when the ruling party and Islah monopolize the decision of who is an infidel and a traitor.
I say this is a blessing because perhaps the presence of these reasons and others stood in the way of using it to abort freedoms and suppress journalists. Religious judges and orators are ready; mosques filled up instantly to oppose the infidel journalists.
These demagogues have taken advantage of this cartoon to gain haram money and has incited against journalistic freedoms and they haven't even read what the journalists have written in defense of the Prophet (PBUH). The wing of sultans and orators in the Islah party and the judicial syndicate connected to the GPC have received many suits of treason and infidelity.
If it were not for the dispute between the ruler and the orators over the donations and the fear that these donations be used to fund terrorism and electoral campaigns, then it would be possible to gather millions upon millions. And if it were not for the fear of the GPC that the protests would employ corruption, then the rulers would lead battles defending the Prophet (PBUH) and would form popular committees. Those who don't fear God have gathered millions of from those attending mosque and have gathered tens of lawyers to strike fear into the journalists and to oppress the press. It is well known that Yemen is overflowing with ulema: Mohammed bin Mohammed Al-Monsur, Mohammed bin Ismael Al-Amrani, Al-Habib Al-Jafari, Ahmed Al-Shami, Hamud Al-Muyid, and tens of others. All these among others have declared the illegal nature of the criminalization of the journalists because the republishing of the images was not to defame the Prophet (PBUH).
If the Salafist movement has specialized in calling people infidels, then the GPC uses many and multiple weapons. If it did not abstain from using the weapon of religion in specific occasions then the majority would use calls of treason or use kidnapping and imprisonment. The leadership of the GPC does not abstain from inciting the army and the security forces to frighten the opposition or critics of corruption.
The Yemeni government has closed six newspapers since the beginning of this year and imprisoned their editors in chief and suspended their licenses. These papers have been accused and their belongings confiscated even before the judges have said their word. The state is trying to confiscate public opinion and the right to free speech. The official press is waging an attack on the opposition. In this current atmosphere, the resignation of the head of the journalists only complicates the matters.
The conflict between the ruling party and the opposition affects everything and touches directly upon the freedom of press, it being the mother of all freedoms. Democracy is found in the presence of the free speech. As this right decreases, political life stalls and the Yemeni government looks as if it is unconcerned with international criticism. Despite praises from the international community of journalists, like Journalists Without Borders, behaves indifferently as if it turned its back on the international community. The pillars of a free press cannot be achieved until democracy is unleashed fully.
Currently, the government is ready to make the syndicate leadership fail taking advantage of the resignation of its leader and the negative environment surround journalists.
