We, the Yemeni and regional human rights organizations undersigned, urgently demand to hold perpetrators of violations against journalists accountable, in conjunction with the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, which the world commemorates on this day every year.
Based on our responsibilities, we condemn all forms of violence by all conflicting parties in Yemen against journalists, which led to killing 49 journalists and an unprecedented and catastrophic erosion of media freedoms. Many Yemeni cities have turned into closed areas for one voice and the media diversity previously present in Yemen has disappeared, while the world is working to stop and hold accountable the perpetrators of violations against journalists. Nearly three thousand violations against freedom of media and expression have been committed in Yemen during the past seven years, ranging from killing, abduction, enforced disappearance, torture and sentences to death against Journalists under unfair and politicized trials, far from all fair trial standards, and in breach of the constitution, local laws, and international treaties and covenants ensuring journalists’ safety and freedom of opinion and expression.
The undersigned organizations call on the international community and organizations concerned with freedom of opinion and expression to redouble their efforts to hold accountable violators of freedom of media and expression in Yemen, to strengthen the fundamentals of accountability and to support and voice solidarity with journalists in these difficult circumstances, so that they can play their role in promoting transparency and democracy and combating violence and violations of human rights Human Rights. We stressed the need to release the jailed journalists as an urgent and necessary step.
We also stress the work to avoid impunity for crimes against journalists as one of the most important guarantees of freedom of expression and access to information for all citizens.
Organizations:
1. – Studies and Economic Media Center (SEMC)
2. – Yemeni Media Freedom Observatory (YMFO)
3. – The National Organization of Yemeni Journalists (Sada)
4. SAM Organization for Rights and Freedoms
5. – Rights Radar for Human Rights
6. Association of Abductees Mothers
7. Yemeni Center for Transitional Justice
8. Yemeni Coalition for Monitoring Human Violations
9. American Center for Justice (ACJ)
10. Media village for development and Information
11. Swasia Organization for Human Rights
12. Yemen Hub Media Support
13. Democratic Media Foundation
14. Cultural Media Center
15. Defense Foundation for Rights and Freedoms
16. The Electronic Foundation for Humanitarian Media
17. Rescue Foundaton for Development
18. Alamal Womens and Sociocultural Foundation
19. – Monitoring Journalist Network
20. Alkarama for Human Rights
21. Taiz human rights center
22. Humanitarian Journalism Foundation
23. Mirrors Media For Development Center MDC
24. Qarar foundation for Media and Development
25. Yeni Yemen Media Foundation.
26. Mansa Foundation for Media And Development Studies
27. Al-Jawf Media Center
28. True Human Rights institution
29. Democratic Media Foundation
30. Media Sac Foundation for Media and Development
31. Addameer Foundation for Rights and Freedoms
32. Wujud Foundation for Human Security
33. Future Partners Foundation for Development
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