BBC Slams Yemeni Assault On Reporters

The BBC has this week announced that it is protesting against the deliberate assault of a journalist and cameraman near the University of Sanaa in Yemen.

Abdullah Gorab, BBC Arabic's correspondent in Yemen, and cameraman Mohammed Omran were beaten and injured by supporters of a government official while reporting on protests calling for the departure of President Ali Abdullah Salih in which protesters clashed with government supporters.

Mr Ghorab explained that he was a BBC reporter and was then attacked and abused by a group of people. He was cut between the eyes, suffered a bleeding nose and has bruises on his back and other parts of his body.

Mr Omran had his mobile and watch taken while Mr Ghorab was pulled by the attackers towards the car of Hafez Meiyad, a Yemeni government official, who is known to be close to the Yemeni President.

Mr Meiyad blamed Mr Ghorab for giving Yemen a bad reputation. Two police officers then intervened and asked the attackers to let him go. They did so and left in Mr Meiyad's car.

Abdullah received medical attention from a doctor and was told that he will need a further check up to see if his swollen nose is broken.

BBC Director of Global News, Peter Horrocks, said: "The BBC condemns this assault on our journalists who are trying their best in very difficult circumstances to report on the situation in Yemen.

"We call on the Yemeni government to ensure the safety of all journalists in the area and we will be taking up our concerns directly with the Yemeni authorities."

(BMcC/GK)