
Mwatana strongly condemns these unlawful rulings. They come as part of a series of practices and abuses against the press and journalists perpetrated by Ansar Allah since it seized control of the Capital Sana’a by force in September 2014.
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Sana’a - Mwatana for Human Rights said in a statement today that the authorities of the Ansar Allah (Houthi) armed group must vacate the sentences, including four death sentences, issued against 10 journalists arbitrarily detained in the group’s prisons since 2015. Mwatana called on Ansar Allah to immediately release all journalists held by the group.On Saturday morning, the Specialized Criminal Court in Sana’a. under the control of Ansar Allah authorities, held a session without the presence or knowledge of the journalists’ defense lawyer. In the session, the Court convicted ten journalists—Abdul Khaleq Imran (34), Akram Al Walidi (30), Harith Humaid (28), Tawfiq Al Mansouri (33), Hisham Tarmom (28), Hisham Al Yousofi (27), Haitham Raweh (26), Essam Balghaith (28), Hassan Annab (40) and Saleh Al Qaedi (30)—on charges related to the men’s journalism and publishing work. According to the Public Prosecution’s indictment, the journalists were accused of "broadcasting false and malicious news, data and rumors, and propaganda, and establishing and managing several websites and pages on the Internet and social networks where they broadcast news, data, and false and malicious rumors in support of Saudi-led coalition crimes."
The Court sentenced Abdul Khaleq Imran, Akram Al Walidi, Harith Humaid and Tawfiq Al Mansouri to death. The Court sentenced the other journalists to imprisonment, but decided time had already been served in prison and ordered they be placed under police surveillance for three years. The sentences against the 10 journalists followed deeply marred judicial processes. Nine of the journalists were arrested on June 9, 2015, and Al Qaedi on August 28, 2015. Throughout their almost five-year detention, the journalists have been disappeared, denied family visits, access to a lawyer, and healthcare, and tortured and subjected to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.Mwatana strongly condemns these unlawful rulings. They come as part of a series of practices and abuses against the press and journalists perpetrated by Ansar Allah since it seized control of the Capital Sana’a by force in September 2014. These practices include arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, torture, causing the death of journalists and conducting trials lacking the minimum requirements of fair trial. Mwatana rejects the death penalty in all circumstance and at all times.On more than one occasion, first in its statement entitled “Houthi Authority: A Black Era in the History of Yemeni Press,” released in October 2015, Mwatana has called on the Ansar Allah group to stop targeting press and media workers, to release those arbitrarily detained and to reveal the fate of the forcibly disappeared. For example, the journalist Waheed Al Sofi remains forcibly disappeared since April 6, 2015 until now.On September 6, 2016, Ansar Allah group arbitrarily detained the journalist Yahya Al Jubeihi, and on April 12, 2017, the Specialized Criminal Court in Sana'a sentenced him to death on the pretext of collaborating with a foreign country. Al Jubeihi was released on September 24, 2017 after Saleh al-Sammad, the former head of the Supreme Political Council, issued a decision ordering his release and setting aside the death sentence. Hamza (Al Jubeihi's son) is still being held arbitrarily.“This is not the first time for Ansar Allah to sentence journalists to death. Journalist Yehya Al Jubaihi was sentenced to death after a 15-minute trial. These judgements are disgraceful and shameful. Ansar Allah must immediately release all imprisoned journalists,” said Radhya Al Mutawakel, Chairperson of Mwatana.[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]