BBC Monitoring

Text of report in English by Yemeni news agency Saba website

Sana'a, 9 September: An official source has deplored remarks of the US Department of State that Yemeni security forces practised harassments against some Yemeni journalists.

The source said that the deputy spokesman of US Department of State, Tom Casey, did not give evidence on those harassments, accusing unreliable opposition sources of presenting such information.

"Yemeni journalists are protected by the constitution and law. The security services have always launched investigations into abuses against journalists," noted the source.

"Yemen does not need anyone to advise it to protect freedom of press because it has already chosen democracy that is based on freedom of expression according to the national interest," affirmed the source.

The Yemeni source pointed that Yemen will continue practising democracy, respecting freedom of expression as well as the economic and political reforms.

Criticizing gunmen's kidnapping for indepen! dent Yemeni journalist Abdul-Karim al-Khaiwani, the United States urged last Friday [7 September] the Yemeni government to take steps to protect journalists from becoming victims of violence and intimidation

In a press statement, deputy spokesman of US Department of State Tom Casey said that the recent abduction of Al-Khaiwani points to a disturbing trend of intimidation and harassment of Yemen's journalist community.

Source: Saba news agency website, Sanaa, in English 9 Sep 07