Journalist Al-Khaiwani involved in Sana’a Terror cell sentenced

Opposition journalist Abdul-Karim Al-Khaiwani, who has implicated himself in a terror cell that plotted attacks on government buildings, assassinate leaders, and infect the water supply of the military has been sentenced to 6 years in prison.

Al-Khaiwani, and the other 12 members of the cell were operating under the command of the Houthi rebels in the Sa’adah province. Al-Khaiwani received a light sentence as compared to his comrade Jaffar Mohamed Ahmed who was sentenced to death for murdering two security officials during the crackdown on the terror cell. The remaining 11 terrorists, including one women, received anywhere between 1 and 10 years in prison.

Al-Khaiwani, who was previously the editor of a tabloid-like newspaper ‘Al-Shoura’ known to be sympathetic to the Houthi rebellion joined the terror cell after he was previously pardoned by the country’s President on other press violations. He has enlisted the support of local Houthi sympathizers and the large population of ex-royalists and their descendants living abroad.

Of course, the US State Department was quick to comment on the situation. In his daily briefing, spokesman Sean McCormack criticized Yemen on the sentencing. This has been a trend by the State department in order to show the world that they are tough on human rights, even with their allies. Truth be told is that the US is in no position to criticize human rights anywhere given the Guantanamo Bay situation — which the Yemeni government does not have enough oil to solve. Let the story of Sami Al-Haj, an Aljazeera TV reporter, be told.

The CPJ, Amnesty International, and the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate also viewed this as an attack on Freedom of Press, though the Yemeni government could have selected Jamal Ammer (and many others) — who has been a stronger critic of the Yemeni government and its leaders than Al-Khaiwani ever was — to stand trial on ‘false charges’ instead. In addition, Yemen has reformed the judicial system to be completely independent from its executive branch. With the exception for Presidential pardons — Al-Khaiwani himself has had the privilege — Yemen has an independent judiciary.

Al-Khaiwani and his accomplices have all received a fair and public trial, evidence was exhibited, and justice was served. Being a journalist does not give individuals a ‘get out of jail free’ card. In fact, individuals like Al-Khaiwani make it harder for the rest of the journalists to do their job, as such malicious behavior makes security forces wary of their intentions. Journalism is a responsibility, and all people must obey the law no matter what they do for a living; terrorists need their propaganda machines as well.