Yemen Monitor / Newsroom:
The authorities in Shabwah Governorate (Southeastern Yemen) suspended the activities of the Al-Mahriah satellite channel office and its correspondent’s work in the governorate today, Thursday.
The Media Office in Shabwah issued a memorandum stating that Al-Mahriah TV broadcasts misleading reports and has not complied with the Minister of Information’s directives calling for the unification of media discourse, according to the memo. The memorandum called on all institutions to adhere to its contents.
The National Organization of Yemeni Journalists (SADA) condemned the decision by Shabwah Media Office to suspend the media activity of “Al-Mahriah TV,” describing the measure as a “serious violation” of freedom of opinion and expression and a blatant assault on independent media work.
In a statement released today, Thursday, the organization emphasized that this arbitrary measure was taken outside of legal frameworks and reflects a worrying trend toward restricting public freedoms and using administrative tools to suppress media institutions instead of regulating them according to the constitution and the law.
SADA statement pointed out that suspending any media outlet constitutes a dangerous precedence, explaining that Yemeni law strictly defines suspension procedures, which “can only be carried out through a final judicial ruling issued by a specialized judicial authority,” and not through unilateral administrative decisions lacking transparency.
SADA warned that such decisions do not serve the public interest but rather open the door to further restrictions and violations against journalists and media institutions, asserting that the community’s right to access information and the protection of media independence are the two fundamental pillars of any professional environment.
The organization concluded its statement by holding the relevant authorities fully responsible for any repercussions affecting the freedom of media professionals, calling on the Shabwah authorities to immediately rescind the decision to suspend Al-Mahriah TV and to stop all forms of harassment against media outlets in the governorate.
