Houthis use judiciary to target journalists

The National Union of Journalists joins the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) in condemning the death sentence handed to Taha Ahmed Rashid Al-Maamari by a Houthi-controlled court.

Al-Maamari, owner of media companies Yemen Digital Media and Yemen Live for Media Production and Satellite Broadcasting, was sentenced on 24 September on fabricated charges in Yemen’s capital Sana’a.

In 2018, Al-Maamari’s offices were raided by an armed group under the pretext that the journalist supported the ‘aggression’ by a party in conflict with Yemen. Last month’s ruling also ordered the confiscation of Al-Maamari’s properties in Yemen and abroad. The media owner has lived in Spain since 2015.

The Yemeni Journalists’ Syndicate (YJS) has expressed its full support with Al-Maamari rejecting the verdict as an “unjust ruling.”