Yemen Monitor/Newsroom:
Human rights calls are intensifying to halt the practices of the Houthi group, which target press freedom and freedom of expression in Yemen.
The armed group has escalated its crackdown campaigns against journalists, media professionals, and activists since World Press Freedom Day on May 3rd.
These campaigns include abduction, murder, sham trials, and continuous threats, constituting a blatant violation of international laws and humanitarian conventions. These practices reflect a repressive policy pursued by the group against those who convey the truth and advocate for freedom of expression.
The most prominent violations include a murder in Ibb Governorate, sham trials in Sana’a, 10 abductions in Hudaidah and Dhamar governorates (including a woman), and a threat of abduction in Dhamar.
In Hudaidah Governorate, eight journalists and media professionals remain abducted after being forcibly taken in mysterious circumstances. They are: Walid Ali Ghalib, Mohammed Al-Hattari, Abdulmajeed Al-Zailai, Abduljabbar Ziyad, Hassan Ziyad, Assem Mohammed, Abdulaziz Al-Noum, and Marwa Mohammed Rashed.
In Ibb Governorate, activist Fikri Al-Jarani was found killed hours after publishing posts exposing the corruption of Houthi leaders. He had received threats prior to his death.
In Sana’a, journalist Mohammed Al-Miyahi was subjected to an illegal sham trial.
In Dhamar, journalist Abdulwahab Al-Harasi and activist Mohammed Saleh Al-Yafaei were abducted. Journalist Fouad Al-Nahari also received abduction threats.
Human rights activist Huda Al-Sarari affirmed that these violations place the international community before urgent moral and legal responsibilities to stop these crimes and hold perpetrators accountable. She added that silence today is considered participation in the crime and complicity with criminals, emphasizing that protecting journalists and media professionals is a humanitarian and legal duty that cannot be waived.
