Yemeni Journalists Syndicate Report Reveals: Over 2,000 Violations of Media Freedoms During a Decade of War
Yemen Monitor / Newsroom:
On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate released a detailed report documenting the scale of violations against media freedoms in Yemen over the past ten years. Prepared in cooperation with the International Federation of Journalists, the report reveals an alarming number of violations.
The report documented 2,014 violations from the start of the war in 2015 until April of this year. The syndicate described this large number as indicative of the most extensive crackdown on journalism since Yemen’s unification in 1990. The report followed a clear professional methodology based on a survey involving 213 Yemeni journalists.
The documented violations varied and included 482 cases of freedom deprivation (abduction, arrest, detention, and pursuit), 244 assaults on journalists, their properties, and media outlets, and 223 cases of threats and incitement campaigns. The report also recorded 212 website blockings and 175 cases of trials and interrogations.
Additionally, it noted 125 cases of salary suspensions and denied entitlements, 74 instances of torture, and 72 cases of prevention from media coverage. It also recorded 55 attempted killings, 165 media outlet shutdowns, 46 journalist killings, 41 arbitrary dismissals, and 38 confiscations of media equipment.
The report revealed that the Houthi group topped the list of violators with 1,178 violations, followed by the Yemeni government with 376, and the Southern Transitional Council (STC) with 113. The report included survey results that showed a sharp decline in press freedom and that a large proportion of journalists had faced violations.
According to the survey, 185 journalists reported being subjected to violations, while 206 knew colleagues who had experienced violations due to their journalistic work. Most participants identified various political authorities as the primary violators of press freedom and agreed that there is no effective legal protection for journalists.
The survey also indicated that 180 participants had not sought legal recourse, citing lack of trust in authorities, financial constraints, or fear of retaliation. Furthermore, 128 participants said female journalists face higher levels of threats and verbal abuse on social media platforms.
The report emphasized the war’s significant impact on journalistic work and recommended the release of detained journalists, an end to restrictions on journalistic activity, the repeal of unlawful regulations and directives, and the annulment of death sentences against journalists. It also urged the legitimate government to investigate violations and hold perpetrators accountable.
The report called on the STC to release journalist Shaker Naseh and to return the syndicate’s headquarters in Aden. It demanded the enforcement of legal accountability for those involved in violations against journalists, the promotion of freedom of expression on digital platforms, and both technical and financial support for journalists.
Moreover, the report proposed the establishment of support funds for affected journalists, the end of political division within the media sector, the adoption of mechanisms to help female journalists report cases of violence and cyber-extortion, and training for female journalists in digital safety. It also urged official authorities and human rights organizations to provide legal and institutional support to women journalists.
