Request for a Briefing on Investigation Findings and Information Regarding the Assassination of Journalist Mohammed Aydah

Request for a Briefing on Investigation Findings and Information Regarding the Assassination of Journalist Mohammed Aydah

July 19, 2026

His Excellency Dr. Rashad Muhammad al-Alimi, Chairman, Presidential Leadership Council of Yemen

Mr. Salem al-Khanbashi, Deputy Chairman, Presidential Leadership Council, Governor of Hadramout Governorate

Members of the Presidential Committee Tasked with Investigating the Assassination of Journalist Mohammed Aydah

 

Subject: Request for a Briefing on Investigation Findings and Information Regarding the Assassination of Journalist Mohammed Aydah

We, the undersigned international and local human rights and press freedom organizations, renew our full solidarity with the family of journalist Mohammed Aydah, correspondent for the Saudi Arabia-owned channels Al Arabiya and Al Hadath, and with his colleagues across the media community. We reiterate our strong condemnation of his targeted killing on June 24, 2026, in Hadramout governorate, where an explosive device detonated in his vehicle — an attack that could have also claimed the lives of his family members, had they not left the vehicle moments before the explosion.

We welcome the measures taken by the authorities following the crime, including the announcement of the detention of a number of suspects, and the formation of a committee to investigate the case. These steps represent an important indicator of the seriousness with which this crime is being treated. However, their success will ultimately depend on the completion of an independent and transparent investigation that leads to the full disclosure of the truth and ensures that all those responsible are held accountable without exception.

More than three weeks have now passed since the crime. The undersigned organizations believe it is necessary to brief us, the public, the press community, and the victim’s family on any preliminary findings or developments in the investigationز Transparency in cases of public interest strengthens trust in state institutions and affirms their commitment to the rule of law and the fight against impunity.

The assassination of Mohammed Aydah is not only an attack on a journalist — it is an attack on press freedom and the public’s right to information. It comes within an alarming pattern of crimes and violations targeting journalists in Yemen over recent years. Local and international human rights organizations have documented the killing of dozens of journalists and media workers since 2015, and none of these crimes have seen effective and comprehensive accountability — a situation that has contributed to entrenching a climate of impunity and has increased the risks faced by journalists while carrying out their work.

It is from this perspective that we view this case as an important opportunity to send a clear message that crimes committed against journalists will not go unanswered, and that the state is determined to protect press freedom and enforce the law without discrimination or exception.

Accordingly, we call on the Presidential Leadership Council, the security authorities of Hadramout governorate, and the investigation Committee tasked with the investigation to:

  1. Complete the investigation swiftly, independently, and professionally, in a manner that ensures the full truth is revealed.
  2. Brief us and the public periodically on the findings and developments of the investigation, to the extent that doing so does not affect the integrity of judicial proceedings or the course of justice.
  3. Ensure that all those involved in the crime are referred to justice — not limiting accountability to the direct perpetrators, but holding accountable all those proven to have been involved in planning, incitement, financing, assistance, or concealment, in accordance with the law.
  4. Ensure a fair and transparent trial that complies with national and international standards, thereby guaranteeing justice for the victim and his family.
  5. Take practical measures to strengthen the protection of journalists and media workers, and to seriously investigate crimes and violations committed against them, contributing to a safe environment that enables them to carry out their professional mission freely and without fear.

Providing us with the investigation findings and available information regarding this case, and holding all those responsible accountable, represents an essential step toward strengthening the rule of law, consolidating trust in justice institutions, and ending the pattern of impunity that has encouraged the recurrence of crimes against journalists in Yemen.

Signatory Organizations:

  • Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)
  • Yemeni Media Freedom Observatory (YMFO)
  • Studies and Economic Media Center (SEMC)
  • The National Organization of Yemeni Reporters (SADA)

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