Geneva –  SAM Organization for Rights and Liberties stated that it had received a report from a number of journalists working for government-affiliated news websites, who said they were facing threats of eviction from their rented homes along with their families due to accumulated unpaid rent after the Yemeni authorities — represented by Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Dr. Rashad Al-Alimi and Prime Minister Dr. Salem Bin Buraik — suddenly and without legal justification suspended their salaries.

The report indicated that the journalists working for Al-Manara Net, Al-Minā’ News, Al-Ahrar Net, Al-Hikma Net, Al-Watan News, and Aqalīm Press were arbitrarily dismissed after nearly ten years of continuous service in these outlets, instead of being honored and granted their legitimate and earned rights.

According to the complainants, the decision to suspend their salaries for fifteen months — seven months from last year and eight months from the current year — constitutes a dangerous precedent that undermines freedom of the press and expression, aggravates the suffering of journalists and their families, and represents a blatant violation of the principles of justice, fairness, and the constitutional and legal obligations incumbent upon the Yemeni government.

The complainants further noted that they had repeatedly appealed to the Presidency and the Prime Minister’s Office but received no response, despite their years of dedicated service under official government assignments and direct supervision from former Prime Minister Dr. Ahmed Obaid Bin Dagher, with the aim of strengthening the national media front against Houthi misinformation campaigns.

SAM affirmed that the information contained in the report clearly constitutes a violation of journalists’ rights as guaranteed by national and international laws, emphasizing that dismissing media workers and depriving them of their salaries represents a serious regression from the principles of justice and fairness.

SAM stressed the urgent need to resume payment of the journalists’ salaries, compensate them for the material and moral damages suffered, and end any retaliatory or politically motivated actions against members of the press. The organization also called on the authorities to open a transparent and independent investigation into the case and hold those responsible for these violations accountable.