Yemeni authorities accused of banning the printing of seven newspapers

Yemeni authorities have been accused of recently banning the printing of seven independent newspapers, including Al Diyar, Al Share, Al Masdar, Al Nida, Al Mustaqilla, Al Watani and Al Ayyam.

An official government statement has claimed that the newspapers published material "harmful to the national unity".

The Yemeni authorities have also been accused of detaining Al Ayyam employees, shut down the newspaper's website and imposed a siege on its offices.

The Yemeni information ministry denied closing seven papers, according to the BBC, and said it had only ordered the withdrawal of one edition of one of the papers.

According to Article 19, which campaigns for free expression, the government has been unhappy with the publication of photos of clashes between government forces and opposition groups in the south.

An opinion piece by Munir Al-Maweri, published in Al Masdar, called on Yemenis in the north to show solidarity with their brethren in the south who are disgruntled and marginalised by a high rate of unemployment and poverty, and to demonstrate against the regime’s policies.

According to the BBC, at least seven people have been killed in clashes between the security forces and anti-government protesters in the southern area of Yemen.

The piece, which appeared on the confiscated issue of Al Madar on 5 May, called on President Ali Abdullah Saleh to step down to allow unity between north and south.

Dr. Agnès Callamard, the Executive Director of Article 19, said: "Article 19 and HOOD [National Organization for Defending Rights and Freedoms] call upon the Yemeni Authorities to put an immediate stop to these intimidating tactics against journalists and newspapers, and return the confiscated newspapers copies immediately."

A piece by Maysaa Shuja al-Deen in Arab Media and Society examines why there has been so little media coverage of the conflict in Yemen.