Yemeni Journalists Syndicate Demands Immediate Release of Detained Journalists, Denounces Violations
Yemen Monitor/Newsroom:
The Yemeni Journalists Syndicate has expressed its strong condemnation of the continued detention of several journalists in the prisons of the Houthi group and the Southern Transitional Council (STC). These detentions are occurring outside the framework of the law and under conditions described as harsh and inhumane. The Syndicate called for their prompt release.
In a released statement, the Syndicate said that the continued detention of journalists represents a “flagrant violation of freedom of opinion and expression, as well as relevant national laws and international conventions,” emphasizing that these practices contradict the most basic rights guaranteed to journalists.
The Syndicate denounced the difficult detention conditions faced by the imprisoned journalists, holding the parties responsible for their abduction fully accountable for their safety. It stressed that targeting journalists due to their professional work is a serious violation that must stop immediately.
It affirmed its full solidarity with all detained journalists and their families, noting that press freedom will remain a fundamental issue that cannot be compromised, and that the continuation of these violations undermines the chances of building a state based on justice and the rule of law.
In the same context, the Syndicate expressed its grave concern over the detention of lawyer Abdul-Majeed Sabra—who has been defending a number of journalists—since last September. It considered his targeting a dangerous escalation, a violation of the right to defense, and a subversion of legal guarantees.
The Syndicate called for the immediate and unconditional release of all detained and forcibly disappeared journalists. It urged international organizations concerned with press freedom and human rights to take urgent action to pressure for an end to these violations and to ensure that perpetrators do not escape accountability.
According to the statement, the Houthi group in Sana’a continues to detain journalists Waheed al-Sufi and Nabil al-Sadawi since 2015, in addition to six journalists and media workers abducted last May in Al-Hudaidah Governorate. Meanwhile, the STC forces continue to detain journalist Naseh Shaker in Aden since November 2023.
