The Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) has documented numerous violations against freedom of expression and assembly across Yemen, including the arrests and trials of journalists and online activists. Among those who were in court are Dr. Nasr Mohammed Al-Salami and his 21 colleagues, who were appealing their death sentences.
Journalist arrested in Aden
On 18 June 2023, a security force affiliated with the Southern Transitional Council arrested journalist Akram Karem in Aden. He was detained in a prison affiliated with the Al-Tawahi District Police in Aden Governorate. Informed sources confirmed to GCHR that the reason for his arrest was his criticism of the local authorities in Al-Tawahi district, which he accused of being responsible for poor public services, in addition to his disclosure in reports he published on his Facebook page about a number of corruption files.
Aden Governorate is ostensibly under the control of the internationally-recognised government, which is currently represented by the Presidential Leadership Council supported by Saudi Arabia, however, in actual fact, it is under the control of the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council.
On 20 June 2023, he was released by order of the Governor of Aden.
Three journalists on trial after compulsory arrest warrants issued
On 14 June 2023, the Marib Court of First Instance held its first hearing in the trial of three journalists, the editor-in-chief of Al-Masdar Online Ali Al-Faqih, the editor-in-chief of Marib Press Ahmed Ayed, and Mohammed Al-Salihi, the editor-in-chief of the Marib Press newspaper, which has been suspended since 2014. The court, which was attended by only Ayed, decided to postpone the session until after the Eid Al-Adha holiday, at the end of this month.
On 23 March 2023, the Public Prosecution in the city of Marib, which is under the authority of the internationally-recognised Yemeni government, had issued a sudden compulsory summons against the three journalists. The nature of the summons was unexpected as it was the first one, and was not issued after a refusal to appear nor a previous summons. Several charges were brought against them related to defamation of the judiciary in the indictment filed by the Public Prosecution of the court, a copy of which was seen by GCHR.
The indictment alleges that the three journalists “breached the honour of the journalism profession by publishing what was attributed to them… contrary to the truth and a violation of their journalistic duties.” The charges are based on articles contained in Law No. 12 of 1994 regarding crimes and penalties and Law No. 25 of 1990 regarding the press and publications,
GCHR denounces the sudden trial of the three journalists by the Yemeni government before a court that is not qualified nor has the legal mandate to consider publishing and printing cases. The competent local authorities in the city of Marib should drop the charges against them. In the event that complaints against them are filed according to the legal procedures, they must be considered before the Public Prosecution’s Office and the court specialised in publishing and press cases.
Families of children who are victims of contaminated drugs remain without compensation
Prominent human rights lawyer Abdulmajeed Sabra confirmed in a post he posted on his Facebook page on 13 June 2023 that the Supreme Authority for Medicines and Medical Supplies continued to refuse to implement the decisions of the West Municipality Court in the capital Sana’a to hand over compensation to the families of dead and injured children, who were given a dose of contaminated methotrexate. The court had ordered that one million riyals be given to each of them as compensation in an urgent manner until the issuance of the preliminary judgment in the case.
GCHR had previously documented on 10 January 2023 the case of the death of 10 children, who were leukemia patients, and the injury of 11 others, due to unauthorised contaminated medicines smuggled by the head of the Supreme Authority for Medicines and some of his employees, in addition to other persons. Unregistered drugs, including methotrexate, were used to treat sick children, resulting in their death or injury.
Journalist arrested in Amran governorate
On 05 June 2023, the Security and Intelligence Service of the Houthi group arrested journalist Fahd Yahya Al-Arhabi after storming his home in Amran, 50 km north of Sana’a. Local sources confirmed that he is still being held in a prison of the Security and Intelligence Service.
Al-Arhabi was previously arrested on 12 July 2021, and was only released after 25 days of detention. The reason for his arrest was described on his Facebook page.
Trial of Dr. Nasr Al-Salami’s group continues
On 04 June 2023, the Specialised Criminal Court (SCC) of Appeal in Sana’a held a hearing as part of the trial of the group of Dr. Nasr Mohammed Al-Salami and his 21 colleagues. They once again filed a complaint about the poor means of transport used by the Security and Intelligence Service to transport them, which was not ventilated. Although their complaints were repeated in several hearings, the most recent of which was in the hearing held on 07 August 2022, when the court addressed the Security and Intelligence Service about the need to provide them with appropriate means of transportation, the issue has not yet been resolved.
In the same hearing, Dr. Al-Salami and Dr. Yousif Saleh Ali Al-Bawab demanded that their personal computers be returned to them. Although they had repeatedly requested this several times in previous sessions, the devices were not returned to them.
This case, known as the Nasr Al-Salami case, is based on the fact that this group expressed their different opinions on public issues and their criticism publicly of the de facto government, the Houthis, which led to their being prosecuted in the SCC, which sentenced them all to death.
The group is being held in the Security and Intelligence prison in Sana’a, which does not meet the required health care and hygiene conditions. The detainees face ill-treatment by their jailers, in addition to the psychological pain resulting from not seeing their families for a long time.
Attack on a peaceful gathering of Baha’is
On 25 May 2023, an armed force affiliated with the Houthi group, which represents the de facto government in Sana’a, stormed a peaceful meeting of a group of Baha’i citizens and arrested 17 of them, including five women. The attack took place during a meeting in a home in Sana’a attended by a group of Baha’is to elect the national governing body of the Baha’i community in Yemen.
Recommendations
GCHR urges all the parties to the conflict in Yemen to:
- Immediately release all those who have been arbitrarily or illegally arrested and detained, including all journalists;
- Overturn the death sentences issued against Dr. Nasr Al-Salami’s group;
- Respect public freedoms including the freedom of the press and the right to peaceful gathering; and
- 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.
