Yemeni Journalist beaten by governor’s bodyguards

Hussein al-Sawas, editor of Al-Baidha Press Web site and Al-Tajdeed newspaper, told CPJ that on January 23, 2009, he was kidnapped, hit, and detained for five days by bodyguards of the governor of al-Baidha, Muhammad Naser al-Amri.  

Al-Sawas said that two bodyguards raided his home and forcibly took him to the governor’s mansion in Al-Baidha, where he was severely beaten. He was accused of “distributing political literature,” he told CPJ.

The journalist was later taken to the city’s security office, where he spent five days, according to local news reports. “I spent three days in solitary confinement and two days with other inmates,” al-Sawas said.

He said he believes that he was attacked and detained because of publishing a supplement in his newspaper called “Corruption Issues.” He told CPJ that he is cannot bring a lawsuit against al-Amri because the governor has immunity.