NUJ backs calls for the release of Yemeni journalists on death row

  • 05 Apr 2022

The union is urging all members to take two minutes of action by adding your signature to an important open letter to the United Nations special envoy for Yemen.

In 2015, Abdulakhleq Amran, Akram Al-Waleedi, Hareth Humaid and Tawifq Al-Mansoori were detained and wrongly charged with committing offences including “espionage for foreign states and spreading fake news”. Since their arrests, the journalists have been subject to torture, experienced significant psychological distress and have been denied much-needed medical attention.

In 2020, all four journalists were sentenced to death by the State Security Court.

Abdulakhleq, Akram, Hareth and Tawifq are being punished for doing their jobs.

Their arrests were driven by their reporting uncovering human rights violations being committed by Houthi authorities. Now, they are being subjected to cruel treatment themselves. 

Anthony Bellanger, IFJ general secretary, said:

"We need to hear the UN, the EU and governments across the world stand up for journalists and unequivocally tell Ansar Allah and the de facto government in Sanaa that torturing and executing journalists is a war crime and that the world should not tolerate war criminals.

"But that's not all. We must send a message to our friends Abdul, Tawfiq, Harith and Akram and their families that they are not alone and the whole global journalism community and freedom of expression and human rights activists will relentlessly work for their freedom."

The NUJ and International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) are calling for the release of all Yemeni journalists, including those on death row. 

An open letter to the United Nations special envoy for Yemen now has over 1500 signatures. But there is still more to do. Will you add your signature and show your support?

Yes, I will sign the open letter

What more can members do?

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