Parties to the conflict in Yemen continue to commit grave violations that undermine the civil and human rights of all citizens, including journalists, human rights defenders and activists. The Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) calls for all parties to respect freedom of expression and basic human rights in Yemen, and to end the practice of arresting, attacking and threatening journalists, as well as holding past the end of their sentences.

Journalist Sam Al-Buhairi and composer Sinan Al-Tabai threatened

On 05 September 2023, the Mayon Foundation for Artistic and Media Production released the new song “It’s Not Wrong”, which was received in the first hours after it was published with admiration by citizens, who shared it on their social media. Shortly after, journalist Sam Al-Buhairi, head of the Mayon Foundation for Artistic and Media Production, and his colleague Sinan Al-Tabai, who composed the song, also faced a widespread campaign of incitement, including serious death threats, and some gunmen began searching for them. A complaint was filed against them with the judiciary in the city of Taiz, where they live.

GCHR declares its full solidarity with journalist Sam Al-Buhairi and composer Sinan Al-Tabai and believes that the song aims to spread societal peace and does not contain any offense to anyone. GCHR calls on the local authorities in Taiz Governorate, who are affiliated with the Presidential Leadership Council supported by the Saudi-led coalition, to provide them with full protection and work to stop the campaigns of incitement and threats against them immediately.

Trial of human rights defender Fatima Saleh Al-Arwali begins

On 19 September 2023, the Specialised Criminal Court of First Instance in the capital, Sana’a, headed by Judge Yahya Al-Mansour, held its first hearing in the trial of human rights defender Fatima Saleh Al-Arwali, head of the Al-Habitat Organisation for Human Rights. She faces a charge of allegedly “aiding aggression,” referring to authorities in the United Arab Emirates, and providing them with coordinates about the sites of the army and the popular committees.

This trial hearing was marred by several clear legal violations, including the failure to record Al-Arwali’s statement in the hearing’s minutes that she was detained in a basement and had not seen the sun for a year and that she wanted to see her children. Likewise, the appointment of prominent human rights lawyer Abdulmajeed Sabra, who was defending her, was not documented in the hearing’s minutes. Judge Al-Mansour also declared that there was no need for a lawyer, after members of the Security and Intelligence Service tried to force Sabra out of the courtroom when he advised his client Al-Arwali to request a copy of the case file against her. After all this happened, Sabra decided to leave the courtroom.

On 14 August 2022, Al-Arwali was arrested at Al-Hawban checkpoint while she was traveling from Sana’a to the city of Aden, based on an order for her arrest issued by the Security and Intelligence Service, which has detained her in its prison since then and isolated her from the outside world.

For more information about her case, click here.

Journalist Majali Al-Samadi assaulted

On 24 August 2023, journalist Majali Al-Samadi posted the following on his Facebook page, accompanied by several photos of himself showing a number of cuts and bruises: “An armed gang of five people attacked me near my house now, they beat me up and threatened to come back if I didn’t stop writing.” The attack occurred in front of his house in the Al-Safia area in Sanaa.

Al-Samadi is the founder and director of “Voice of Yemen” radio station, which was suspended from broadcasting on 25 January 2022 by the Ministry of Information in Sana’a, which is affiliated with the Houthi group. He filed a complaint with the judiciary, and on 24 December 2022 the Press Court issued a ruling in his favor, but the Ministry refused to implement the ruling and appealed it.

GCHR declares its full solidarity with journalist Majali Al-Samadi and calls on the de facto government in Sana’a, the Houthi group, to identify the parties that planned and carried out the sinful attack against him to a fair judiciary, in addition to providing him full protection as he carries out his independent journalistic work, and immediate permission to broadcast Voice of Yemen. At work again.

Journalist Nabil Mohammed Al-Sadawi detained past his sentence

On 21 September 2023, journalist Nabil Mohammed Al-Sadawi completed the eight-year sentence issued against him, and despite this, the Houthi group continues to detain him.

He was arrested on 21 September 2015, and was forcibly disappeared for five months, during which he was denied visits and subjected to torture, and his health condition deteriorated.

On 22 February 2022, he was sentenced to eight years in prison after being convicted of committing various crimes, including working for Saudi Arabia. His trial fell short of international minimum standards for fair trial and due process and he was denied access to a lawyer.

Reliable local reports confirmed that during his imprisonment he was subjected to many serious violations, including ill-treatment, and being forced by security personnel to confess to fabricated charges that he did not commit.

GCHR calls on the de facto government in Sana’a to immediately and unconditionally release journalist Nabil Mohammed Al-Sadawi, who should not have been imprisoned in the first place as he merely carried out his journalistic work with all professionalism.

1000 citizens detained for raising the flag of the Republic of Yemen

On 26 September 2023, prominent human rights lawyer Abdul Majeed Sabra wrote on his Facebook page about the presence of approximately 1,000 detainees in police stations in the capital secretariat pending criminal investigation among citizens who raised the flag of the Republic of Yemen to celebrate the anniversary of the establishment of the Republic in Yemen on 26 September 1962. When asked by Sabra, a police officer claimed that they were arrested for allegedly “causing chaos”, something the detainees denied.

Journalists Mohammed Al-Salahi and Mohammed Al-Junaid released over a year after serving their sentences

GCHR welcomes the Houthi group’s release on 02 July 2023 of journalists Mohammed Al-Salahi and Mohammed Al-Junaid, but notes with dismay that they should have been released in 2022.

The two journalists were in the custody of the Security and Intelligence Service despite Al-Salahi’s sentence ending on 20 June 2022, and Al-Junaid’s sentence ending on 13 July 2022.

They were arbitrarily detained by the Houthi security and intelligence services in the city of Hodeidah – Al-Salahi in October 2018 and Al-Junaid in November 2018.

During their detention, the two journalists were subjected to many serious human rights violations, including ill-treatment, torture, and forced disappearance.

On 28 June 2022, the Specialised Criminal Court sentenced them to three years and eight months in prison in an unfair secret trial during which they were denied access to their lawyers for every hearing except one.

Recommendations

Once again, GCHR urges all the parties to the conflict in Yemen to:

1. Immediately release all those who have been arbitrarily or illegally arrested and detained, including woman human rights defender Fatima Al-Arwali and journalist Nabil Mohammed Al-Sadawi;
2. End the practice of holding journalists past the end of their sentences;
3. Respect public freedoms including the freedom of the press and the right to peaceful gathering; and
4. Ensure that human rights defenders, including journalists, bloggers, academics and internet activists, are able to carry out their legitimate work and express themselves freely without fear of retaliation and in a manner free from all restrictions, including judicial harassment.