Since Yemenis rose against the Saleh regime back in February of this year, attacks against journalists drastically increased, leading many right groups and organizations to ring the alarm.
Last Monday, Abdul al Hafeez al-Hatami from news website al-Sawha Net and Raafat al-Amiri from Suhail TV. Both journalists are working with companies perceived as being anti-regime, especially Suhail TV since its owner Sheikh Hameed al-Ahmar is the regime’s most influential detractor and critic.
According to witness reports, the 2 men were attacked by “unknown armed men” as they were covering the rise of Oil prices in the western province of Hodeidah. As the journalists were being forced to surrender their cameras and were being intimidated, a local Sheikh stepped in ordering their immediate release.
"These attacks underscore how dangerous it is for journalists in Yemen," said Robert Mahoney, the Deputy Director of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). "We call on all sides to respect journalists and allow them to continue their work unharmed and without threat. Journalists are civilians and must be treated as such."
More worrying, those attacks are becoming a bit of theme in Yemen. On August 28th, a BBC reporter, Abdullah Ghoraib was attacked alongside his cameraman, Zein al-Zaqaaf as he was covering Sana’a electricity blackout. The journalists reported having been mugged by a group of 5 armed thugs, as well as interrogated and beaten up. Their equipments were destroyed.
On August 12th, Ahmed Firas, a cameraman for Suhail TV was also arrested and then incarcerated by the government forces. To this day no charge has been brought forward against him, making him de facto, one of Yemen’s prisoners of conscience.