“International Federation of Journalists” Demands Houthis Immediately Release Lawyer Sabra
Yemen Monitor / Newsroom:
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) on Thursday condemned the abduction of lawyer Abdulmajeed Sabra by the Houthi group, demanding his immediate release along with all others detained over their opinions and stances.
The IFJ stated in a release: “We join the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate (YJS) in condemning the arbitrary detention of lawyer Abdulmajeed Sabra by the Houthi de facto authorities, who arrested him on September 25th.”
The statement clarified that Sabra has dedicated his efforts over the past years to defend abducted journalists in Yemen in cooperation with the Journalists Syndicate, noting that he was targeted after publishing a post on social media marking the anniversary of the September 26th Revolution.
The Yemeni Journalists Syndicate had previously announced its solidarity with lawyer Sabra, considering his abduction a “flagrant violation of the law, the constitution, and international conventions guaranteeing the right to defense, justice, and freedom of opinion,” and holding the Houthi group fully responsible for his safety.
The Syndicate stressed that the incident represents a “systematic targeting of all voices defending rights and freedoms in an attempt to silence and intimidate them.” It called for Sabra’s immediate release and for an end to the policy of oppression and abduction that has affected journalists, lawyers, and civil society activists.
The Journalists Syndicate demanded that international human rights organizations exert more pressure on the Houthis to stop these violations and ensure the right of lawyers, human rights defenders, and journalists to perform their duties without threat or retaliation. It affirmed that “freedom of the press and the defense of rights are inseparable from the essence of justice, and any targeting of lawyers and journalists is a targeting of the principle of justice itself and the community’s right to obtain and defend information.”
