المصدر - The world celebrates World Press Freedom Day at a critical time for the press and media in Yemen. Journalism is passing through the worst time as a result of violations and suppressive practices by the Houthi-Saleh militias against journalists and media organizations in areas under their control.
Eighteen abducted journalists are still under Houthi militia arrest and face a variety of physical and psychological torture. Some of them have been badly injured and handicapped. Others face the threat of physical cleansing like journalist Yahyah Al-Jubaihi, who has been sentenced to death by Houthi militias. They have also begun issuing verdicts against 14 journalists from Al-Thawra daily government newspaper based in Sana’a because they refused to work without salaries for more than seven months.
Today, World Press Freedom Day is occurring while many Yemeni journalists are facing death, abduction, and torture as well as being forcefully kicked out of their homes. Houthi militias assaulted their rights and closed their media centers, including TV stations, radio stations, press, and digital media.
The Yemen Media Observatory believes that freedom of the press is Yemeni people’s right. Houthis militias should respect this right and release abducted journalists.
The Yemen Media Observatory condemns Houthi-Saleh militias’ ongoing targeting of press freedoms as well as hunting and detaining our colleagues. Some of them have spent two years in custody and face daily brutal torture that has left many with chronic diseases. Some are disabled and others have been blocked from access to health care and visiting their families. The YMO calls for more pressure against the militias. The YMO calls for revealing the fates of colleagues who have been abducted, such as Saba News Agency journalist Mohammed Al-Salwai, who has been abducted for 7 months.
We call upon all liberated people worldwide, the UN, and human rights organizations to save the abducted journalist who are facing death in Houthi jails.
Yemen Media Observatory
3 May 2017
Eighteen abducted journalists are still under Houthi militia arrest and face a variety of physical and psychological torture. Some of them have been badly injured and handicapped. Others face the threat of physical cleansing like journalist Yahyah Al-Jubaihi, who has been sentenced to death by Houthi militias. They have also begun issuing verdicts against 14 journalists from Al-Thawra daily government newspaper based in Sana’a because they refused to work without salaries for more than seven months.
Today, World Press Freedom Day is occurring while many Yemeni journalists are facing death, abduction, and torture as well as being forcefully kicked out of their homes. Houthi militias assaulted their rights and closed their media centers, including TV stations, radio stations, press, and digital media.
The Yemen Media Observatory believes that freedom of the press is Yemeni people’s right. Houthis militias should respect this right and release abducted journalists.
The Yemen Media Observatory condemns Houthi-Saleh militias’ ongoing targeting of press freedoms as well as hunting and detaining our colleagues. Some of them have spent two years in custody and face daily brutal torture that has left many with chronic diseases. Some are disabled and others have been blocked from access to health care and visiting their families. The YMO calls for more pressure against the militias. The YMO calls for revealing the fates of colleagues who have been abducted, such as Saba News Agency journalist Mohammed Al-Salwai, who has been abducted for 7 months.
We call upon all liberated people worldwide, the UN, and human rights organizations to save the abducted journalist who are facing death in Houthi jails.
Yemen Media Observatory
3 May 2017
