Houthi Court Extends Detention of Journalist Al-Miyahi, Refuses to Refer Case to Press Prosecution
Yemen Monitor/Newsroom:
A Houthi court in Sana’a extended the detention of journalist Mohammed Al-Miyahi for another seven days on Monday, following the end of the previous term.
Human rights lawyer Abdul Majeed Sabra said in a Facebook post that the public prosecutor refused to approve the investigating prosecutor’s directives to refer Al-Miyahi’s case to the press and publications prosecution.
He indicated that journalist Al-Miyahi was interrogated on Monday, noting that Al-Miyahi refused the interrogation and to answer the questions of the specialized criminal prosecution, insisting on referring his case to the press and publications prosecution and requesting his release due to nearly four months of detention.
His defense team affirmed his right to be referred to the press and publications prosecution, and his right to be released, as the period of detention he spent in prison violates his rights as a journalist.
According to the lawyer, the prosecution countered Al-Miyahi’s request with accusations of publishing on social media, conducting television interviews, and broadcasting malicious news with the intent to incite public opinion against the ruling authority, with the intent to disturb public security, and incitement against the state and its political system.
Last Sunday, the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate said it rejects the illegal procedures accompanying Al-Miyahi’s case and demands his immediate release.
It added: The Yemeni Journalists Syndicate is following the continued kidnapping of writer and journalist Mohammed Al-Miyahi for more than four months and the refusal to transfer his file to the press and publications prosecution as requested by his lawyer, amid fears of fabricating unrealistic charges to undermine the colleague who was kidnapped on September 20, 2024, on the background of an opinion article.
It said: While the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate renews its call for the speedy release of colleague Al-Miyahi, it rejects all the illegal procedures accompanying his case amid fears of producing a punitive scenario for the colleague who has spent more than 120 days in detention.
