The protection and freedom of the press is seriously at risk in Yemen, as nine journalists were subjected to severe human rights violations over the course of one week. 

The incidents took place in the capital Sana’a, Taiz and Aden provinces and the Egyptian capital of Cairo. The journalists were subjected to gross human rights violations including threats, attempted kidnappings, physical and verbal assaults, defamation and arbitrary arrests by unidentified armed men and members of the security agency.

On the morning of 10 February 2014, the broadcaster of YMC TV, Fahmi Al-Buraihi, and his colleague, cameraman Khaled Farhan, were beaten by unidentified men and prevented from covering a protest march in the capital Sana’a.

Following the filming of interviews with citizens in Taiz province on 9 February 2014, Haikal Al-Ariki, broadcaster and producer with Al-Sahat TV was beaten, subjected to death threats and accused of being an agent by two unidentified persons. His colleague, cameraman Basheer Al-Jahlani, who was with him was also threatened with death and verbally insulted. It is reported that one of the attackers was carrying a gun and attacked Haikal Al-Ariki kicking and beating him, and threatened him saying, “I swear that I will kill you if we see you in the street”. The two men media workers were forced to leave without completing the interviews.

The same day, at approximately noon, the chief editor of Huna Aden website, Anis Mansour, received an anonymous phonecall. The caller, referred to the news and reports published on the website, and threatened to kill him and accused him of being an agent.

Rahmah Hujairah, journalist with Yemen Today TV, was subjected to a defamation campaign by radical activists on the social networking site Facebook. The campaign followed a publication of a photo of her during an award ceremony. As part of the defamation campaign it was alleged that this event was contrary to the customs and traditions.

On 7 February 2014, the editorial staff of Al-Khabar website received threats via anonymous e-mails to the site and editor’s email. This threat comes in the context of a smear campaign against the editorial staff and website by newspapers and websites affiliated with the General People’s Congress (GPC). The campaign was reportedly initiated due to the publication of news about a leading person in the GPC, despite the fact that the person was afforded the right of reply.

On 6 February 2014, Fatek Al-Rudaini, journalist with the Yemeni news agency SABA was returning home when two unidentified gunmen approached him in the centre of Sana’a. They beat him, stole his personal belongings and attempted to kidnap him.

Earlier in February, journalist Firas Shasan, was arrested by Egyptian authorities, while attending the Cairo International Book Fair in the Egyptian capital. He was charged with filming a report for television without official permission.

The Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) expresses serious concern at the incidents outlined above and views them as a direct attack on the freedom of the press in Yemen. The GCHR believes that these incidents were the direct results of journalist practising their profession in a peaceful and legitimate way.

The GCHR urges the authorities in Yemen to: 

1. Immediately desist in targeting journalists and ensure that they enjoy a suitable environment for the exercise of their profession;
2. Immediately drop all charges against Firas Shasan and allow him to practice his profession as a journalist unimpeded;
3. Guarantee in all circumstances that all journalist, media workers and human rights defenders in Yemen are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions including judicial harassment. 

 The GCHR respectfully reminds you that the United Nations Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, adopted by consensus by the UN General Assembly on 9 December 1998, recognises the legitimacy of the activities of human rights defenders, their right to freedom of association and to carry out their activities without fear of reprisals. We would particularly draw your attention to article 6 (c): “Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others: (c) To study, discuss, form and hold opinions on the observance, both in law and in practice, of all human rights and fundamental freedoms and, through these and other appropriate means, to draw public attention to those matters.”, and to Article 12 (2): “The State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present declaration.”