Marib Court Acquits Three Journalists and Two Satellite Channels in Controversial Criminal Lawsuit
Yemen Monitor / Newsroom:
The Primary Court in Marib Governorate issued a judicial ruling on Tuesday to dismiss the criminal lawsuit filed against three Yemeni journalists and the two satellite channels, “Yemen Shabab” and “Al-Mahriah.” Legal experts hailed the decision as a victory for media freedom and the independence of the judiciary.
The National Organization of Yemeni Journalists (Sada) reported that the court panel, headed by Judge Shafe’a Abu Bakr, ruled to drop the case on a procedural basis, citing the vagueness of the charges, the invalidity of the procedures upon which the charges were based, and the court’s lack of jurisdiction to hear the case.
Lawyer Hadi Wardan, who was assigned to the defense team under the “Dhaman” legal protection project for journalists affiliated with Sada, explained that the judicial decision was consistent with the law. He noted that the lawsuit lacked sound legal grounds and was based on incorrect procedures.
He added that the court granted the prosecution multiple opportunities to prove its claims, but it failed to present any credible evidence upon which a judicial ruling could be built.
Wardan indicated that the ruling reflects the judiciary’s commitment to the principles of justice and its refusal to accept lawsuits based on flawed procedures or a lack of jurisdiction. He affirmed that the decision sends a positive message to protect journalists from arbitrary prosecution and entrenches the position of the judiciary as a fair sanctuary in cases related to freedom of opinion and expression.
The lawsuit had targeted journalists: Mohammed Al-Salhi, Ahmed Ayedh, and Ali Al-Faqih, in addition to the two channels, Yemen Shabab and Al-Mahriah. The case had drawn widespread criticism from human rights and journalistic organizations, which considered the prosecution an attempt to restrict independent media and subject it to unlawful scrutiny.
