13 February 2010
Mohammed Shu'i Al-Rabu'i
Shooting
Mohammed Shu'i Al-Rabu'i, a correspondent for several news media including the opposition newspaper "Al-Qahira", was gunned down in the district of Beni Qais, 120 km northwest of Sanaa.
Those allegedly responsible have been arrested. Al-Rabu'i, 34, was reportedly shot dead at his home by four or five individuals who were arrested after attacking him in late 2009 but were released before charges were brought. "The murderers have been arrested and will be punished," Beni Qais security chief Abdelrazeq Az-Zareq said, adding that he took "full responsibility" for their release at the end of 2009.
Al-Rabu'i had worked for more than 10 years for "Al-Qahira", published by the Islamic Reform Grouping (Al-Islah), the main opposition party. In the last legislative elections, in 2003, Al-Islah won 22.6 per cent of the vote and 46 of the 301 seats in parliament. Respect for press freedom worsened last year in Yemen but this is the first time that a journalist has been murdered in violence against independent or opposition news media since North and South Yemen merged in 1990.
