LOC15:38
12:38 GMT
PARIS, Sept 21 (KUNA) - International Press Freedom organisation on
Wednesday lamented attacks, arrests and harassment of journalists in a number
of troubled Arab countries, most seriously the shooting of reporters in Libya
and Yemen.
The organization also condemned arrests of media figures in Syria and the
jailing of two journalists in Oman.
Concerning Yemen, the press body said that indiscriminate firing had
injured TV reporter Hassan Al-Wadhaf, who is critically wounded.
"Reporters Without Borders firmly condemns the violence. Journalists who
were with Wadhaf said men in civilian dress deliberately fired
rocket-propelled grenades at the crowd," a statement said here.
The journalist is reported to be in an irrecoverable coma and on life
support.
Two journalists have already been killed in Yemen since the troubles there
began several months ago.
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), with broad international support, has
been seeking to broker an end to the Yemeni conflict.
Reporters Without Borders also lamented the shooting of two journalists in
Libya in the past five days.
BBC TV journalists and Franco-Lebanese national Mohammed Ballout was shot
by a pro-government sniper in the chest near Bani Walid and has been shipped
to a French military hospital.
Another journalist was been hit by shrapnel and has been evacuated from
Libya.
The press organization also pointed to growing repression of professionals
working in the media sector, noting jail sentences for journalist Youssef
Al-Haj and Ibrahim Al-Mo'amari in Yemen and the closure of his "Al-Zaman"
newspaper for one month.
Reporters Without Borders also indicated continued arrests of bloggers and
journalists in Syria. (End)
jk.ajs
KUNA 211538 Sep 11NNNN