By: Jamil al-Jadabi (almotamar.net) - SANA�A- The General People�s Congress (GPC) leaderships congratulated editor-in-chief of al-Wasat newspaper Jamal Amer on winning the 2006 International Press Freedom Award.
Assistant secretary-general of the GPC Sultan al-Barakani sent Amer a cable of congratulation in which he expressed his sincere congratulations and happiness as he [Amer] was one of four journalists to be honored with 2006 International Press Freedom Awards.
Al-Barakani considered honoring Amer by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) an honor for Yemen.
�Selecting you to be honored didn�t occur all of a sudden or futilely. It came to affirm our country goes towards broad horizons at the level of politics, economic, culture and society. The freedom of expression, in which you were a pioneer, is a priority in Yemen. The al-Wasat newspaper had played a big role in crystallizing the concepts of freedom and democracy and respect of human rights. Your bravery gave Yemen an opportunity to be present in the award ceremony as you are part of this country,� al-Barakani addressed Amer in the cable of congratulation.
The Committee to Protect Journalists will honor four journalists�from Colombia, Yemen, the Gambia and Iraq�with 2006 International Press Freedom Awards in November. The awards ceremony will also commemorate CPJ�s 25th anniversary.
Jesús Abad Colorado of Colombia, Jamal Amer of Yemen, and Madi Ceesay of the Gambia have risked their lives to report the news, withstanding attacks, harassment, and imprisonment. CPJ will posthumously honor Atwar Bahjat, correspondent for Al-Arabiya satellite television and former Al-Jazeera reporter who was gunned down while covering a bombing near Samarra, Iraq, in February.