President Al-Alimi Warns Against Replicating Houthi Militia Abuses Against Journalists and Public Freedoms

  Riyadh

His Excellency President Dr. Rashad Mohammed Al-Alimi, President of the Presidential Leadership Council, affirmed that press freedom and the protection of journalists will remain a fundamental commitment of the state leadership and government, and a cornerstone of the rule of law and the building of modern national institutions aspired to by all Yemenis. He warned against replicating the violations committed by the Houthi militias, which have turned cherished parts of the country into some of the worst areas in the world for journalistic work.

The President of the Presidential Leadership Council stressed that a free word is an integral part of society’s right to knowledge and of any serious path toward stability and peace. He reaffirmed the state’s commitment to providing a safe environment for journalistic work, protecting media institutions from threats or blackmail, and deterring any practices that seek to impose opinions by force or undermine public freedoms, in contravention of the Constitution, national laws, and international norms.

These remarks were made during President Al-Alimi’s reception, today Monday, of Mr. Fat-hi bin Lazraq, Editor-in-Chief of Aden Al-Ghad newspaper, whose media institution was subjected to an armed attack on Sunday in the interim capital, Aden.

During the meeting, the President listened to details and updates regarding the attacking of the Aden Al-Ghad headquarters, and the accompanying assaults that resulted in injuries to a number of staff members, as well as the destruction and looting of the premises’ contents. He described the incident as a flagrant violation of press freedom and media work, and a direct attack on society’s right to knowledge and access to information.

The President of the Presidential Leadership Council commended the immediate measures taken by the Prime Minister and the leadership of the local authority in the interim capital, Aden. He emphasized the importance of expediting the arrest of the perpetrators and all those involved without exception, handing them over to the judiciary to receive deterrent punishment in accordance with the law, and taking the necessary arrangements to provide protection for media institutions and journalists. He also called for redressing the damage suffered by Aden Al-Ghad and enabling it to resume its work and carry out its professional mission freely and responsibly.

President Al-Alimi affirmed that respect for press freedom is a key indicator of the state’s seriousness in restoring stability and building trust with local and international communities. He stressed that the state will remain aligned with the free word, considering it a partner in the battle to restore national institutions, not an adversary.

In this context, the President noted that the state leadership has not issued, over the past years, any measures against journalists, but has instead emphasized preventing their arrest or detention on the basis of opinion or publication. He underscored that any legal accountability must only be pursued through an independent judiciary, in accordance with the law and the guarantees of a fair trial, categorically rejecting the use of weapons or force to silence media voices.