SAM Organization for Liberties and Freedoms, condemns the continuous violations against press and journalists in Yemen, by Houthis militia, the de facto power in Sana’a, the Security Belt forces in Aden, which is supervised by the UAE - Arab Coalition member, and by Hadhramout authority, which is under the legitimate government control. Deploring the continuation of these violations, which constitute a serious breach of the provisions of international humanitarian and human rights law.
SAM, NGO based in Geneva, said it has monitored many violations by Houthis militia, the Security Belt forces, and authorities in Hadhramout, against journalists, photojournalists, and tens of newspapers and media websites, as well as attacking many media outlets, in flagrant violation of the freedom of opinion and expression guaranteed in all international conventions and norms.
The Organisation confirmed that Yemen has witnessed noticeable rise in attacking media premise during the past two months, by military forces, loyal to the UAE in Aden, as well as by unknown groups, where SAM has documented many incidents in this regard.
On first March 2018, at 5:30 a.m. Al-Shumu Corporation for Press and Printing, in Aden, was attacked by an armed element, who burned the premise. SAM monitors interviewed the chairman of Al-Shumu Corporation, who said “a group of armed men, more than twenty, in uniform, attacked on Thursday 1 March 2018, the Corporation and set fire on the premises. The fire caused medium and serious injuries among the staff, including the secretary of Akhbar Al-Yum newspaper, Mr. Waleed Al-Shara’bi. “the armed elements wearing military uniform of the UAE-backed Security Belt forces, looted the Corporation furniture, telephones and printing equipment, and losses are estimated at one million dollars” according to a witness interviewed by SAM.
On 27 February 2018, journalists Fathi bin Lazraq, was summoned by CID in Aden, which is not authorized to summon and investigate, where it investigated him in cases related to posts that he published in facebook page. In a recorded testimony to the Sam team, journalist ben Lazarq said “I’ve been summoned on the basis of posts that I’ve posted in my facebook page, where they accused me of threatening the security by such posts, where actually I write on pubic issues that aiming to create a public opinion, however they want to mute and stifle any voice opposed to them in Aden, the whole matter is related to what I write only."
In another incident Aden24 newspaper office in Reme neighbourhood, Aden, was attacked on 29 January 2018, by unknown elements, and the editor-in-chief Mukhtar Al-Yafee was almost killed. These elements also sabotaged and damaged all surveillance cameras in the premises.
On 16 February 2018, Aden Centre for Strategic Studies and Statistics, and Al-Yum Althamin newspaper, in Alsa’ada neighbourhood, Khoe Maxar, were attacked by gunshots, causing damage in their premises.
On 28 February 2018, the broadcasting tower of Bandar Aden radio station was attacked by RPG by unknown elements in Almansoura, Aden, resulted in the suspension of the broadcast of the radio immediately.
SAM also documented subpoena and enforced disappearance by authorities in Hadhramout and its forces, in continuation of violations against media in the southern governorate.
Where, on Wednesday, 21 February 2018, journalist Awad Kashmim, in Mukalla, was detained for his opinions posted in his facebook page, criticising the local authority and the UAE-backed Hadhrami Elite forces’ interventions in the southern governorates. SAM interviewed one of Kashmim relatives who said “Awad went on his own to the Intelligence office, when he learned that they were looking for him at his residence in a hotel in Mukalla, and he has been detained then, under allegations that he is wanted by the governor, for a post that he published in the facebook”. “I’ve visited Awad in his prison in the Intelligence bureau, he was not tortured, and he has been transferred to the public prosecution last Sunday, yet he is still detained in the central jail in Mukalla”, he added. Despite some reports on Awad torture inside the prison, yet SAM could not verify these allegations.
SAM confirmed that these violations are in territories under the legitimate government control, and by military and security forces loyal to or backed by the UAE.
Within the same context, Houthis militia killed and injured many journalists during January, in a clear indicator to the determination of the militia to continue its violations against this category. Where SAM has documented the killing of two journalists by Houthis militia; Osama Salam Al-Maqtari, while covering the fighting in Taiz, and Mohammed Al-Qadasi, Belqees channel correspondent, by a rocket fired by Houthis militia in Al-Khyami, western Taiz, Houthis militia also injured three journalists; Basheer Aqlan, Tareq Al-Zubeiri, and Huzaifa Al-Athouri.
“Yemen became a conducive environment for violations against media outlets by Houthis, and the UAE-backed security forces”, added SAM.
SAM remind Yemeni state responsibility for the violations against journalists and media outlets, as well as the individuals’ penal responsibility for their crimes against journalists and media outlets. SAM called for protection of journalists and media outlets during conflicts, as provided for by the international law and stressed by article 52 of the first additional protocol to Geneva convention 1977, article 19 of the ICCPR.
“increasing violations against journalists is a matter of concern and calls for urgent action by the international community, where it reveals a systematic policy by the parties against journalists, to conceal the truth and silence its witnesses? Said Tawfeq Al-Humeidi, “work environment in Yemen is risky for journalists’ work, rendering it one of the worst places in the world, where journalists are subjected to imminent risks” he added.
SAM organization called in its statement the international community to put an end to these practices, and to fetch an immediate resolution to end these violations against media in Yemen by the de facto power in Sana’a, and the legitimate government in Aden, and to exert all efforts to bring perpetrators into justice.
SAM Organization for Liberties and Rights, Geneva
6 March 2018