Warring parties in Yemen have turned the nation into one of the most hostile environments for media professionals in the Middle East, with a campaign of arbitrary arrests, torture, and enforced disappearances that has effectively silenced independent reporting, according to a new investigation by a global rights watchdog.
The detailed report, spanning nearly 60 pages, outlines how the Houthi movement, the Southern Transitional Council, and forces aligned with the internationally backed government have systematically targeted journalists since the outbreak of the country’s civil war more than a decade ago. The documented abuses include unlawful detention, forced disappearances, brutal interrogation methods, electronic surveillance, and the seizure of private media outlets.
“Repeated assaults on journalists and media organizations by the warring factions have endangered the lives of dozens of reporters and severely eroded freedom of expression in Yemen,” said the agency’s researcher focused on Yemen and Bahrain.
The findings, compiled from interviews with 27 individuals including 16 journalists, detail 14 separate cases of abuse since late 2023. Five media workers remain unlawfully held—three by the Houthis and two by the STC—while four others have been forcibly disappeared. In some instances, security forces detained family members instead of journalists, using them as leverage to force confessions or halt coverage.
The investigation reveals that the pattern of repression dates back to 2014, when the Houthis took control of the capital, Sanaa. Several journalists spent years under death sentences, endured torture, and were only freed through prisoner exchanges. At least 63 media workers were killed between 2015 and 2023, including targeted assassinations and deaths from coalition airstrikes, with virtually no credible investigations conducted.
Survivors reported being subjected to harsher treatment than other detainees. One journalist recalled a Houthi prison official telling him they “pray to God by torturing journalists.” Others described beatings, electric shocks, being suspended by the wrists, and being denied medical care, with many still suffering lasting health problems.
The pervasive atmosphere of fear has forced many reporters into exile. Those who remain often hide their identities or practice self-censorship. A freelance journalist in Aden said she lists her occupation as “student” in her passport to avoid trouble at military checkpoints. Female reporters face additional dangers, including harassment, social stigma, and community pressure after release.
Beyond individual attacks, the warring factions have taken over or shut down media institutions. The Houthis and STC seized outlets including Yemen Live for Media Production, Yemen Digital Media, Sawt al-Yemen, and the state-run SABA news agency, replacing staff and tightening control over news coverage.
The rights organization emphasized that Yemeni authorities are bound by both international and domestic laws to protect free expression, not restrict it. It urged United Nations member states to raise the violations at the upcoming Human Rights Council session in Geneva and called on UN special rapporteurs to request access to Yemen.
“All warring parties should immediately release the journalists who remain unlawfully detained and stop their abusive practices against media workers and institutions,” the researcher stated. “The international community must also end its inaction regarding the ongoing violations in Yemen and ensure that the warring factions are held accountable.”