Geneva – The SAM Organization for Rights and Liberties stated that the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists comes this year as Yemen continues to witness one of the most hostile environments for the press in the region. The country remains among the most dangerous places for journalists due to the alarming rise in serious violations and the absence of accountability.

The organization noted that various parties to the conflict in Yemen have committed a wide range of abuses against media professionals, including killings, arbitrary arrests, torture, enforced disappearances, and unfair trials, in addition to the closure of media outlets and restrictions on press freedom — all taking place amid a disappointing international silence.

SAM highlighted that dozens of Yemeni journalists have been killed or directly targeted in recent years while performing their duties. Others remain behind bars, facing grave violations that contravene international law. The organization stressed that the ongoing lack of accountability has emboldened perpetrators to continue their crimes with impunity. It added that some journalists have even been sentenced to death by the Houthi group following trials that fail to meet the most basic standards of justice.

According to SAM, press freedom in Yemen has been deteriorating sharply since the outbreak of the war, turning journalism into a field of criminalization and persecution instead of a platform for truth-telling. The organization emphasized that protecting journalists in Yemen is a collective responsibility that requires urgent action from both local and international actors — not just seasonal statements of condemnation.

SAM warned that the persistence of impunity in Yemen — whether by de facto authorities, the internationally recognized government, or external actors involved in the conflict — leads to the concealment of truth and fuels a climate of repression. The organization called for independent and transparent investigations into all violations committed against journalists and for holding perpetrators accountable without exception.

Finally, SAM urged the United Nations and the international community to move beyond documentation and condemnation toward concrete, binding measures — including imposing sanctions on violators and supporting neutral international mechanisms to protect journalists and pursue their cases. The organization also called for the immediate and unconditional release of all detained journalists and for reparations to be provided to the victims and their families.