More editors in the Islamic world take their lives into their hands. From Reuters, with thanks to Twostellas:
SANAA, Feb 8 (Reuters) - Yemen closed down on Wednesday a second newspaper that reprinted controversial caricatures of Prophet Mohammad, an official at the information ministry said.The official said the English-language Yemen Observer would be shut until further notice. The newspaper published the inflammatory cartoons last week, he added.
On Monday, the ministry ordered the closure of a small, Arabic language newspaper for printing the cartoons which first appeared in a Danish daily in September.
The prosecution also issued an arrest warrant for its editor-in-chief, who is also its owner, on charges of offending Islam and the Prophet.
More pluck than the BBC or any British newspaper.
These newspaper editors in the Islamic world (this one and Jordan) have shown more courage than the spineless wimps in the USA and UK, who so often like to stress the importance of free speech.
This is a total shock. In of all places Yeman(swarming with terrorists), there are a few brave souls who would go on what amounts to a suicide mission by publishing these cartoons. It could be many things . . . genuine secular impulses by an editor or two(one English speaking paper), disgust with the Islamist crowd, or neither . . . maybe with true journalistic impulses who simply wish to report the damm story. I don't see how this paper can be reported accuratly without ever showing the cartoons--or a sampling of them.
This is stunning!
I never knew Yemen had one, much less two newspapers.
But, if they put these guys in the same prison as the recently escaped the U.S.S. Cole Bombers, they'll be home by Friday prayers.