Front Line is concerned about reports of the judicial harassment of human rights defender and journalist Mr Anees Mansoor, who will be summoned for the third time today, 28 April 2009, by the Qubaita Prosecution Office under accusations of encouraging instability, organising illegal demonstrations and promoting the reunification of Yemen (North and South), charges that could result in up to four years in prison.

Further Information

Anees Mansoor is a member of the Lahaj branch of the National Organisation for Defending Rights and Freedoms “HOOD”, and a journalist for Al-ayam newspaper where he has been covering issues such as arbitrary detention, corruption and lack of the rule of law and reporting on protests in the Lahaj Region in the north of Yemen. On 23 January 2009, Front Line previously issued an appeal concerning the arrest of Anees Mansoor.

On 21 April 2009, Anees Mansoor was summoned for the second time by the Qubaita Prosecution Office under the same abovementioned accusations. Before he was summoned to the prosecution office for the first time, Anees Mansoor was approached by an Intelligence agent who asked him to stop publishing critical reports and to instead provide the Intelligence Apparatus with information regarding protests in Lahaj, a request which he refused.

The case was officially filed against Anees Mansoor by a group called Reunification Defenders Association, an organisation which is known to be close to the government and is headed by an officer at the military intelligence. At the first and second hearings, witnesses who testified against Anees Mansoor, saying that he took part in protests, were reportedly those who were involved in corruption stories covered by Anees Mansoor. On the other hand, the prosecution gave no serious attention to the testimonies of witnesses who came to testify that Anees Mansoor has been extremely professional in his work as a journalist and has nothing to do with organising or participating in protests. These witnesses reportedly complained that the prosecutor interrogated them as suspects asking them if they were themselves involved in those protests.

This is not the first time that Anees Mansoor has been targeted. On 13 January 2009, he was arrested along with fellow human rights defender, Wajdy El-Shuaiby, in Alhashemy Square, Aden, while covering a rally organised by forums for reconciliation and tolerance, which was allegedly violently disrupted by security forces. Anees Mansoor was released on 15 January 2009.

Front Line believes that Anees Mansoor is being targeted and harassed as a direct result of his peaceful and legitimate work as a journalist in defence of human rights.