Demanded the release of Ahmed Maher. A human rights coalition condemns arbitrary arrests and enforced disappearance in Aden

The Justice Charter for Yemen Coalition condemned, on Thursday, the campaigns of arbitrary arrests and enforced disappearances taking place in the interim capital, Aden, (southern Yemen), demanding the opening of rapid investigations and an end to these inhumane practices.

In a joint statement signed by 22 organizations, the coalition renewed its call to the legitimate government in Aden to expedite the referral of the case of journalist Ahmed Maher to the Court of Appeal to address the clear legal violations and to release him unconditionally.

The statement said, "The crisis of arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance is at the forefront of the public scene in Aden after the emergence of the case of Lieutenant Colonel Ali Ashal Al-Jadani, who was kidnapped by forces affiliated with the Security Belt, and the outbreak of mass demonstrations demanding his fate be revealed."

He added: "The recent cases of enforced disappearance have proven that the authorities responsible for these violations are clearly and explicitly violating Yemeni law. Aden security has issued arrest warrants for the commander of the counter-terrorism forces, Yusran Al-Maqtari, and his deputy, Samer Al-Jandab, who are responsible for the disappearance of Ashal and many other citizens in the southern governorates." ".

He continued: "These developments coincide with the second anniversary of the arrest of journalist Ahmed Maher, who was arrested on August 6, 2022. He was subjected to enforced disappearance and torture because of his journalistic work and was forced to make fabricated confessions."

The statement stated that, despite the serious legal violations associated with his case, Maher was sentenced to four years in prison. “This represents a threat to freedom of opinion, an entrenchment of the security approach in dealing with journalists, and a dangerous deviation in the course of justice.”

The statement continued: "The recent developments in Aden revealed the weakness of the ruling issued against Maher, as a dispute arose between the criminal public prosecutor and the president of the Specialized Criminal Court, with the former accusing the latter of bias and unprofessionalism. This disagreement relates to the same officials who tried and ruled in Ahmed Maher's case."

The organizations concluded their statement by condemning the arbitrary arrests and ongoing enforced disappearances in Aden, declaring full solidarity with the families of the kidnapped people, including Lieutenant Colonel Ali Ashal, and demanding rapid investigations into the cases of the disappeared and demanding their fate be revealed and an end to these inhumane practices.