Media outlets and journalists are targeted, abducted or killed, as they carry out their important and legitimate work, and the right to freedom of expression is curtailed, says a new report, “Let Them Speak: Media and freedom of expression targeted in Yemen,” published by the Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR). The report is being released as yet another ceasefire has reportedly failed.

“The conflict in Yemen rages on, despite attempts to end it, yet the extreme situation in the country is largely ignored and under-reported,” said GCHR Co-Director Maryam Al-Khawaja. “It’s time for the international community to take action and support civil society, which is greatly suffering, to restore their faith in the human rights system and let them know their voices are being heard.”

Yemen is a country plagued by internal and regional conflicts, poverty, humanitarian crises and a legacy of human rights violations. Serious violations and abuses of international law are rampant and have continued since the civil war began in 2014, says the report.

The media’s role in time of conflict should not be underestimated. It is very crucial in terms of conflict management and the peacebuilding processes. Often, the lack of information at any stage of a conflict, can result in manipulation, helplessness and despair. Whereas, reporting by free media can help people make informed decisions and enhance the democratic structures of societies and might help in foreseeing a better future, the report emphasises.

This report aims to document and highlight cases of journalists and media professionals as well as social media activists and reporters who have been subjected to human rights violations as they bravely report on and attempt to bring attention to the situation in Yemen.

Among the report’s recommendations, it calls for the UN and Yemeni authorities to enhance protection for the media and human rights defenders, including by promoting a cease-fire, while recognising the importance of the role of youth, women and civil society in the peacebuilding processes. It also calls for the creation of an international inquiry into the conflict in Yemen in order to address ongoing impunity for grave violations committed by all parties to the conflict, an investigation into cases of targeting, abducting and killing of journalists and media professionals and the immediate and unconditional release of human rights defenders and journalists detained as a result of their work.

The report is being launched during a NGO roundtable discussion on Yemen, hosted by Amnesty International in New York on 27 October. It includes a screening of a short trailer from a recent reportage on Yemen made by journalist Nawal Al-Maghafi – who will join the discussion. The screening will be followed by a discussion on possible strategies for a collective response to the conflict in Yemen on the international level.

The event is being held at 2:00 – 3:30 pm, in Amnesty International’s UN office, Church Centre (corner of 1st Avenue and 44th street), 6th floor Conference Room. 

Click here to download the full report “Let Them Speak” in English, the report is also available in Arabic.

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