SANAA, Yemen, Oct. 26 (UPI) -- Yemen's Journalists Association deplored Tuesday the government's rejection of pleas to release journalist Abdel Karim Khiwani imprisoned for his writings.
A statement urged President Ali Abdullah Saleh to release Khiwani, whose health is reportedly deteriorating quickly in prison.
"The lack of government response to many local, regional and international pleas for his release indicates an absence of national responsibility and common national sense," the statement said.
It said Khiwani's imprisonment runs counter to the government's democratic directives and constitutes a blunt violation of public expression and press freedoms.
Khiwani was sentenced to one year in prison and his publication was closed for six months for writings which the government said incited violence and rebellion.
