An Abu Dhabi court of appeal has suspended the Emarat Alyoum newspaper for defamation. The court also on November 19 fined the newspaper's editor-in-chief, Sami Al-Alraymi, 20,000 dirham (approx US$5,400) and the newspaper 500,000 dirham (approx US$136,000).
The sentences are based on a lawsuit filed by the Warsan Stables, based in UAE, in January 2007 following a front-page article published in the newspaper, according to the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI). The article, which was titled, 'Stimulants scandal at Warsan Stables in the Emirates', accused the owners of using stimulants on horses running in international races.
ANHRI said, "The decision to suspend the newspaper is unnecessary and is a blatant violation of international conventions that provide for apologies from the press." ANHRI also urged the cancellation of the suspension order and considers it an attempt to silence the newspaper.
Emarat Alyoum, which does not publish official news on its front page, has chosen to focus on public issues rather than political topics and contributes to the widening freedom of expression in the Emirates.
