While the whole world is celebrating World Press Freedom Day under the theme “Journalism without Fear of Favor”, Yemeni journalists are facing death sentences at Houthi prisons and other face forced disappearance and systematic torture.
We, at Abductees’ Mothers Association, on World Press Freedom Day, reaffirm that 18 journalists have been subjected to torture and forced disappearance for five years, which led to sentencing four of them to death by Houthi armed group. Whereas a journalist has been abducted by Al-Qaeda in Al-Mukalla, the legitimate government has been detaining two journalists in Ma’rib.
On this day, we remember the abducted journalists who were killed by air strikes after using them as human shields by Houthi armed group in Harran.
We hold all authorities responsible for the abduction and detention, namely Houthi armed group, Al-Qaeda, and legitimate government, accountable for the lives of abducted and detained journalists, and demand them to immediately and unconditionally release all journalists.
We call upon the United Nations, international press syndicates, and national and international press unions to generate the necessary pressure on all authorities in order to release all Yemeni journalists. We call upon all journalists to support their colleagues’ unconditional freedom. Their lives have been place at risk due to the constant armed conflicts and the outbreak of Coronavirus.
Issued by Abductees’ Mothers Association
May 3rd, 2020