Obaid Saeed Waked is a Yemeni journalist and human rights defender who has faced ongoing targeting due to his peaceful work in support of press freedom and human rights. On 31 May 2022 Obaid Saeed Waked was released by the Criminal Investigation Department in Mukalla, the capital of Hadhramaut Governorate in eastern Yemen, just a few hours after his arrest. He had been detained by the same forces following a report submitted by the branch of the state oil company on the coast of Hadramout, in response to a Facebook post in which he expressed his views on the persistent difficulties faced by citizens. During his detention, the security services confiscated his mobile phones, denied him contact with his family or legal counsel, and refused to release him on bail despite his cooperation during the investigation. His release was facilitated by solidarity campaigns launched by fellow journalists, concerned citizens and civil society organisations, notably the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate.