Saudi and Yemeni human rights groups taking part at the 52nd session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva shed light on the violations committed by the Iran-backed Houthi militias against journalists.
A human rights symposium held at the Swiss Press Club in Geneva revealed that the militias had committed over 1,500 violations against Yemeni journalists in recent years.
The event, “Houthi violations against freedom of opinion and expression”, was organized by the Humanitarian League for Rights and the Dutch Center for Human Rights.
The symposium called on the international community to pressure the militias to immediately and unconditionally release journalists sentenced to death. They also stressed the need to stop crimes and violations against journalists across Yemen.
Member of the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate Nabil Alosaidi explained that the Houthis have committed more than 1,500 violations against journalists from 2015 to 2022.
He said the Houthi violations included killings, attempted murder, detention, and torture.
The militias have sentenced at least four journalists to death and destroyed and seized the headquarters of newspapers and news websites.
Journalist Ghamdan Al-Yousefi said 51 violations have been documented, including direct killing, sniper attacks in areas of engagement, and the use of journalists as human shields.
The arrest of 14 journalists was also documented. Ten of the detainees have since been released, but the remaining four face death sentences.
Al-Yousifi cited documentation of 103 cases of kidnapping and the suspension of more than 200 websites and 100 newspapers.
He also highlighted the health and psychological suffering experienced by his fellow journalists while they are held in Houthi prisons and detention centers.
