On the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists…Calls for Accountability for Perpetrators of Violations Against Journalists in Yemen

Yemen Monitor/Newsroom

Forty-five regional and local organizations concerned with freedom of expression and human rights have called for justice, an end to impunity for those involved, and accountability for those responsible for all crimes against journalists and media activists in Yemen.

In a statement coinciding with the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, the organizations expressed deep concern over the violence, threats, and attacks faced by journalists due to their opinions and writings, affirming that the prevalence of impunity for perpetrators exacerbates these violations.

The statement also emphasized that journalists have faced a range of crimes and violations over the past decade, including extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, torture, and restrictions on freedom of expression, stressing that the perpetrators of these crimes remain unaccountable.

The organizations called on the international community to pressure the parties concerned in the conflict to put an end to the abuses and enhance the protection of journalists.

They called on all parties to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms and protect journalists. Commitments to human rights should be a key criterion in all military and political operations.

The statement also called for the neutralization of the press from conflicts within the framework of achieving justice and reconciliation, and for working to create a safe environment that allows journalists to do their work without fear.

It called for efforts to hold those responsible for crimes against journalists accountable and to take effective measures to end impunity for the crimes committed.

Finally, the statement called for opening the door for the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression to study the increasing levels of violence and propose solutions to address impunity, once and for all.