‘My crime was writing an article’

Since the outbreak of the armed conflict in September 2014, press freedom in Yemen has been subject to systematic repression and serious violations. Journalists there are not seen as independent voices trying to bring the truth, but as enemies. The country has been torn apart by war and the situation for the press is very bad in both parts.

Different areas

In areas controlled by the Ansar Allah group (the Houthis), various forms of repression are used, including arbitrary arrests, disappearances, torture and sometimes even death sentences. In areas controlled by the Yemeni government and its allies, journalists are even less safe. They face imprisonment and other forms of severe repression and are more often murdered. And even journalists doing their work outside Yemen are threatened, as are their families still in the country.

Since the start of the war, more than three thousand violations of journalists have been documented, including 49 murders. This violent repression makes it almost impossible to practice journalism freely. It is difficult for civilians to get reliable information, especially given the widespread disinformation spread by the warring factions. According to the 2024 Reporters Without Borders report, Yemen ranks 154th out of 180 countries, underlining the poor situation of press freedom in the country.

My ‘crime’

I myself experienced harshly in the summer of 2018 the consequences of sharing information in good faith. My ‘crime’ was writing an article exposing the corruption of the Yemeni president and his son. They had embezzled millions of dollars under the guise of maintenance of the presidential plane and fake medical benefits. I secretly shared this with the local press because I wanted people to know about it. Unfortunately for me, the government found out that I was the leak. I was then imprisoned, tortured and threatened with death. With luck, I was freed from prison, but then had to flee the country.

Determined

In Yemen, the various media outlets reflect the interests of the warring parties. In the south, the Saba agency serves the internationally recognised government, while the Al-Masdar newspaper and the Suhail TV channel support the (strict Islamist) Islah party. In the north, Al-Masirah, a Yemeni TV channel based in Lebanon, is the mouthpiece for the Houthis. This media landscape is deeply steeped in political influences, with regional powers such as Iran supporting the Houthi media, while Saudi Arabia and the UAE fund media affiliated with the Yemeni government and the Southern Transitional Council. This council seeks independence for southern Yemen, unlike the government.

Despite this challenging situation, there are courageous journalists like Muhammad Abdel Wahab Al-Shaibani, Omar Al-Mikhlafi and Ashjan Al-Sharjabi, who continue to report determinedly through independent websites like Khuyut Platform and Almushahid Platform. Their work is currently the only reliable source of information for the Yemeni people. This shows how journalism can remain a force even under the most hostile circumstances.

This article was produced in collaboration with Free Press Unlimited and previously appeared in 360 Magazine.

Photo: Yahya Arhab, EPA/ANP