Suppression of Yemeni Media and Journalists by the Saudi-American Coalition
Over the course of more than eight years, the Saudi-American-Emirati aggression in Yemen has sought to silence voices and obscure the truth about its brutal crimes and grave violations against civilians and the country’s infrastructure. This has been done through the direct targeting of national media outlets, journalists, and reporters in Yemen.
Flagrant Violations of International Law
Throughout the years of aggression, the majority of Yemeni media outlets and journalists have been deliberately and systematically targeted by the criminal coalition. This has made Yemeni media a legitimate military target for their attacks, starting with the bombing of media buildings, radio and television stations, and causing significant damage to media institutions and channels. In addition, they have cloned news channels and websites in order to obscure their crimes and violations against the Yemeni people, blatantly violating international law, human rights, and press freedom conventions.
Tragic Conditions
As the world celebrates World Press Freedom Day, journalists and reporters in Yemen continue to face bombings, killings, and tragic conditions due to the aggression and blockade without any significant international response.
Shocking Numbers
Reports from the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate indicate that there have been 584 violations against the media sector and journalists. The number of martyrs in the national media has reached 374, with over 25 injured. A total of 23 media facilities have been destroyed, along with 30 broadcast towers. Six channels and websites have been cloned, and the transmission of eight channels has been stopped via ArabSat and NileSat satellites. Additionally, hundreds of pages have been blocked on social media, and 143 journalists working for Arab and international agencies, newspapers, and channels have been prevented from returning to work in Yemen.
Many Challenges Facing Journalism
In a statement on World Press Freedom Day, the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate called on journalists around the world to visit Yemen and witness the violations against journalists and their media institutions. The statement highlighted that journalism in Yemen faces numerous challenges, primarily the ongoing aggression and blockade by the Saudi-American coalition, particularly targeting the media sector and its institutions.
Perpetrators Will Not Go Unpunished
The statement emphasized that violations against the media sector and journalists in Yemen by the Saudi-American coalition will be addressed by pursuing those involved in the killing of journalists and targeting media institutions through international courts. This is based on international conventions that guarantee freedom of opinion and expression and protect journalists during war or conflict. The statement noted that many journalists have lost their lives in the line of duty due to the ongoing blockade and military operations by the Saudi-American coalition, with some killed by direct bombing and others dying after being prevented from traveling abroad for medical treatment.
The echoes of intimidation continue unabated
Journalists and media personnel see that the aggressive echoes of military and media intimidation against all free Yemeni journalists continue unceasingly. This in itself expresses the importance of the honest word and the extent of the enemy’s panic and fear of the free voice and influential platforms. Therefore, the enemy wanted to force them into silence, oblige them to stop and prevent them from conveying the true image of the humanitarian situation in Yemen, let alone trying to cover up the ongoing violations and massacres throughout the country.
The national media is part of this battle
The Saudi-led targeting did not deter the resistant national media from confronting the fierce attack on Yemen. It tried to convey the truth, and with the available human and material capabilities, it managed to reach the ears of many free people inside and outside the country. They pointed to the very important role of national media outlets in confronting this aggression, despite the huge capabilities of the enemy, which are in no way comparable to national media. However, Yemen’s national media was part of this unequal battle in all its details. It is also part of the amazing steadfastness written by its people, and part of the divine support that Allah gave to the people during this aggression. They emphasized that the national media institutions worked hard to convey the injustice of the Yemeni people, confront the media misleading machine, and convey the suffering of the people.