Houthis refer ‘abducted journalists’ to trial

Ten journalists who were abducted two years ago have been sent for trials in the Yemeni capital, Sana’a, at the hands of the Houthis, the Anadolu Agency reported yesterday.

The Specialised Criminal Court (SCC) will hear the cases of the journalists, lawyer and rights activist, Abdul Rahman Berman, told the news agency.

The journalists, Berman added, are Abdel Khaliq Omran, Akram Al-Walidi, Tawfiq Al-Mansouri, Hisham Al-Yusufi, Hisham Taramum, Haytham Al-Shehab, Hassan Annab, Essam Balgheith, Salah Al-Qaedi and Harith Hamid.

The SCC was reported to have sentenced Yemeni journalist Abdulraqeeb Al-Jubaihi to death in mid-April for allegedly “communicating with a foreign country”.

Read: Houthis issue death sentences after 10 minute mass trial

In June 2016, Houthis referred a number of journalists to the Specialised Criminal Prosecution after they went on hunger strike. However, the detainees are yet to be charged.

Despite repeated demands by the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate that media workers be released, the armed group has continued to carry out kidnapping activities against the Yemeni journalists. Since mid-2015, 17 journalists have been detained by Houthis without a charge.