Mwatana Organization: Houthi Group and President Hadi … Heirs of Suppression Blatant Violations against Journalists and Media Continue Mwatana Organization for Human Rights condemned the violations against journalists and media means mostly by militants of Ansar Allah Group (Houthis), including intimidation, arrest, imposition of restrictions on journalists, preventing journalists from doing their work, or raiding media channels and headquarters. Mwatana has maintained that such violations represent a breach of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and of Article (19) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Mwatana called upon Ansar Allah Group – being the de facto authority –, government agencies and President Hadi to assume responsibility for such violations and ensure that they do not recur. Radhiyah Al-Mutawakil, Mwatana Organization Director, stated that: “Free press and freedom of expression are seriously violated in terms of attacks on journalists, intimidating them and imposing new restrictions on them during their work. Such violations have increased as a result of the government’s giving up its ethical and legal commitments and the absence of adequate safeguards for free exercise of press work”. She added, “Violations have increased whereas freedom of press and expression in Yemen are declining, particularly at this stage which requires intensive presence of the media to perform a vital oversight function in various aspects of public life. Therefore, the de facto authority and the official authorities (of the State) must refrain from oppression practices and abandon this inherited behavior.” Abdul Sattar Baggash, Editor of News Yemen Website, informed Mwatana that on Saturday October 25th, 2014 militants of Houthi Group kicked him off a public bus in Hayil Street after they received a tip from the bus driver that he had spoken foul language about Ansar Allah. Baggash said “They took me to two militants of Houthi Group who were on the pavement. I told them that I had not committed any crime. One of the militants hit me strongly in my back, and said to me, ‘know with whom you are talking’. I asked them to allow me to call some of the Group leaders, and then one of the militants instructed others to release me hoping that I’d not speak badly of Ansar Allah again”. During the past week, many journalists suffered various violations, including intimidation, arrest, detention, prohibition of practice of journalism, and raiding press headquarters. Last Tuesday Al-Masdar Press Foundation stated that militants were roaming on a car with no license plate in Al-Rebat Neighborhood and were asking for the house of Samir Jubran, Al-Masdar Newspaper and Website Chief Editor. The statement expressed concerns about the safety of Samir Jubran, his family members, and the newspaper employees. Moreover, a group of militants broke into the headquarters of the Al-Ishteraki Net of the Socialist Party, located in the party’s headquarters in Sana’a on Friday October 17th, and detained Badr Al-Qubaty, a journalist of the website for hours. However, Houthi Group denied its relationship to the incident and handed over some people to the police on charges of involvement in that operation. However, Al-Qubaty confirmed that he was kidnapped and threatened by a group of Houthi militants. Similarly, militants of Houthi Group guarding a mosque in Sana’a detained the BBC news crew, Safaa Al-Ahmed, journalist, Sami Al-Numan, journalist, and Mohammed Al-Mikhlafi, photographer, during filming in the neighborhood. The militants demanded the crew to hand over the camera. After intervention of some of the group leaders, the militants allowed the crew to leave only after they took the camera’s memory despite having it formatted by the crew. The camera’s memory was returned three days later. Houthi militants stressed on the need to obtain prior approval from the group’s office in Sana’a before filming or doing journalistic activities. In addition, many violations were committed against a number of journalists over the past few weeks, since Houthi Group imposed its control over Sana’a on September 21st. For instance, on Thursday, July 31st, 2014, some militants of Ansar Allah (Houthis) in Amran detained Yousef Hazeb and Yousef Al-Qahmi, journalists of Mareb Press Website, and confiscated their camera. Besides, Houthi militants have been occupying and shutting down Suhail TV since Monday September 22nd, 2014, suspending its broadcast and evading their duty to hand over the channel to its management and compensate it for the losses suffered by it so that the channel could be able to resume its work. Another incident by unknown assailants targeted Hamdi Al-Bakari’s car, Al-Jazeera correspondent, resulting in smashing the car window glass and took place on Monday, October 28th, 2014. The Presidential Guard also continues to hold Yemen Today Satellite Channel equipment since they stormed it on June 11th, 2014, following coverage of the protests against the decision to lift subsidies on oil derivatives. Mwatana Organization for Human Rights expresses its deep concern about the increase of violations against journalists and restrictions on the freedom of expression, and demands Houthi Group, the de facto authority controlling the capital Sana’a and other governorates, to lift restrictions on freedom of expression and media, instruct all armed formations to cease from impeding reporters, and hold accountable all those involved in past violations through competent judicial authorities and in accordance with applicable laws and the Constitution. It also calls upon President Hadi and the Presidential Guard to return the equipment of Yemen Today Satellite Channel and stop their oppression so that the channel can be able to resume broadcasting. The organization emphasizes again the responsibility of the various state authorities for such violations, and calls upon all stakeholders to quickly work on normalization of the situation and restoration of the authority and function of the State to ensure its responsibility towards citizens and form the new government quickly. It also stresses on the withdrawal of all the militants from Sana’a and other Yemeni cities, and the necessity to find solutions to the various issues and dilemmas so as to ensure preservation of the structure of the various state authorities and the state’s ability to perform its functions and responsibilities toward all citizens, including journalists. ---------- * Photo of the sit-in of Yemen Today Satellite Channel staff at the headquarters of the Journalists’ Syndicate in Sana’a - Monday, September 29th, 2014 - Mwatana Organization
Posted on: Sat, 01 Nov 2014 05:26:36 +0000
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