Dozens of Organizations Demand an End to the Systematic Suppression of the Press in Yemen
Yemen Monitor/Newsroom:
Forty local and international human rights organizations issued a joint statement on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, condemning the systematic suppression of journalists in Yemen and warning of the gravity of the situation.
The statement affirmed that Yemen is considered one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists, due to the repeated violations they face in areas controlled by the Houthis and the internationally recognized government.
The mentioned violations varied between arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, and unfair trials, with the statement citing horrific cases such as the death sentence issued against journalist Taha Al-Ma’mari, the disappearance of Waheed Al-Sufi since 2015, and the arrest of Mohammed Al-Miyahi and Naseh Shaker, among others.
The statement pointed to the documentation of more than 2,600 violations against journalists over the past decade, holding the Houthi group responsible for the vast majority of them.
The organizations demanded the immediate release of all detained journalists, ensuring fair trials in accordance with international standards, and opening impartial investigations into assassinations and violations.
The organizations also called for the protection of journalists from attacks and threats, an end to the use of the judiciary to suppress independent voices, the implementation of legal reforms that guarantee freedom of expression and the independence of the judiciary, and addressing impunity.
