Geneva — SAM Organization for Rights and Liberties said that the detention of journalist Hassan Al-Basili in an illegal prison inside what is known as the “Iron Factory” in western Lahj Governorate, since the early hours of Saturday, April 18, 2026, constitutes a serious violation of the constitutional and legal guarantees afforded to individuals. It also reflects the continued use of security agencies and unofficial detention sites operating outside the oversight of the judiciary and the Public Prosecution.
The organization stated that it had received testimony from a person close to Al-Basili, who confirmed that a security force affiliated with the Security Department of Al-Mudarabah and Ras Al-Aarah District, led by Security Director Muthanna Zaleet, raided the home of journalist Hassan Al-Basili in the village of Taran, in Al-Mudarabah and Ras Al-Aarah District, at 4:00 a.m., and took him from his home without presenting any judicial order or arrest warrant issued by a competent authority.
SAM noted that when Al-Basili’s family contacted the security authorities, they were informed that there was no official complaint filed against him. However, according to the testimony, the Security Director of Al-Mudarabah indicated that his detention was carried out “upon directives from the Presidency,” against the backdrop of posts Al-Basili had published on his page concerning lists of the Saudi Special Committee prepared by the office of Presidential Leadership Council member Mahmoud Al-Subaihi.
The organization reported that the detainee’s brother was able to visit him inside the place of detention and confirmed that Al-Basili had not been questioned by the Public Prosecution or the Criminal Investigation Department since the moment of his detention. He has not been allowed to communicate with a lawyer, nor has his case been referred to a competent judicial authority, rendering his detention arbitrary and devoid of any legal basis.
SAM further stated that the information it reviewed indicates that Al-Basili suffers from psychological disorders and that his mental health condition is poor and known to those around him. This places an increased legal and moral responsibility on the detaining authorities to ensure his physical and psychological safety, grant him immediate access to appropriate medical and psychological care, and prevent any form of cruel or degrading treatment.
The organization pointed out that detaining civilians in facilities not legally designated for detention, such as the “Iron Factory Prison” affiliated with the Giants Forces, represents a serious overreach beyond the powers of law enforcement institutions. It also opens the door to enforced disappearance, ill-treatment, and deprivation of basic safeguards, particularly in the absence of judicial oversight and the denial of the detainee’s right to defense.
SAM emphasized that the Yemeni Constitution and the Code of Criminal Procedure guarantee individuals’ liberty and personal security, and do not permit the arrest or detention of any person except in accordance with clear legal procedures and pursuant to an order issued by a competent authority. They also require that the person be informed of the reasons for arrest, be allowed to contact their family and lawyer, and be brought before the Public Prosecution within the legally prescribed time limits.
The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Yemen is a party, also prohibits arbitrary arrest and guarantees every person’s right to liberty and security, as well as the right to challenge the legality of detention before an independent judicial authority. It also protects freedom of opinion and expression, including the right to publish and circulate information. This right may not be restricted except by law and in accordance with the principles of necessity and proportionality.
The organization considered that Al-Basili’s detention over media posts or information he published on his page, if confirmed, constitutes a clear targeting of press freedom and freedom of expression, and an abuse of security authority to punish opinion or journalistic activity instead of resorting to transparent legal procedures that guarantee the right to defense and a fair trial.
SAM Organization for Rights and Liberties called for the immediate and unconditional release of journalist Hassan Al-Basili, an end to his arbitrary detention in an illegal prison, and his immediate access to the necessary medical and psychological care. It also called for guarantees that he will not be harassed or prosecuted because of his journalistic activity or publications.
SAM urged the security authorities in Lahj Governorate, the Giants Forces, and the authorities affiliated with the Presidential Council to officially disclose Al-Basili’s legal status, his place of detention, and the authority that issued the arrest order, and to allow his family and lawyer to visit him without restrictions. The organization also called for an independent and transparent investigation into the raid on his home and his detention without a judicial order, and for holding accountable everyone proven to have been involved in issuing or carrying out unlawful arrest orders, including the security officials who participated in the operation or covered it up.
SAM further urged the closure of all illegal detention sites, foremost among them detention facilities inside military or security installations that are not subject to the supervision of the Public Prosecution and the judiciary. It called for transferring all detainees to known legal facilities, while enabling human rights organizations and judicial authorities to monitor them. The organization stressed the need to halt the prosecution of journalists and activists over their opinions or publications, respect the right to freedom of expression and publication, and ensure that “security directives” or “presidential directives” do not become a cover for arbitrary detention and violations of the law.