Yemeni man charged with spying for Israel complains about his delayed release

Prisoner Bassam al-Haidari, who was charged of spying for Israel two years ago, complained on Sunday that the special prosecution is delaying his release after the presidential pardon which was issued for him last year.

Al-Haidari was imprisoned at the Central Prison in Sana’a, after being tricked by his partner who held a grudge at him for cancelling the concert of Egyptian artist Ehab Tawfiq. His partner established an Islamic Jihadi organization, and then corresponded with the Office of the Prime Minister of Israel on Al-Haidari’s behalf, which led him to be charged with spying for Israel.
 
This followed a speech former President Saleh gave in October 2008 in which he expressed his desire to arrest any terrorist cell linked with the Israeli intelligence.

Therefore, the Special Penal Court sentenced the defendant Bassam Fadel Abdallah Mohammed al-Haidari to death, and then the Court of Appeal confirmed that sentence in April 2010.

Lawyer, Abdul Rahman Barman described the judgment as cruel, “there is no seriousness on the subject of spying, and adding that the judges are convinced of this, but the goal of the judgment is to lift the embarrassment of the President at that time.

Al-Haidari then got presidential amnesty from former President Ali Abdullah Saleh on September 17, 2011, which was followed by a release order from the National Security Agency by the General Attorney No. 32 as well as an order from the special Court’s General Attorney No. 133, on January 14 2012. Yet, he has still not been released, and now accuses the prosecutor of the special court, Ali Askar, of delaying his release under false pretenses.

In a letter sent to the press, he said that Ali Askar invoked financial problems as an argument to delay his release, whereas Al-Haidari claims he already cleared everything about that matter.

He also added: “The special court added a disturbing argument, saying that the presidential pardon that included me was no longer valid after the fall of the regime. This justification shocked everyone because this court must be judiciary independent.”

“I put my case to the public and in front of human rights organizations because I’m suffering from oppression, injustice, false charges and because the special court is trying to prevent my release,” he concluded.

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