Yemeni Journalists Syndicate: Summoning journalist Abdul Aziz Al-Majidi in the case of the murder of "Adnan Al-Hammadi" is dangerous and unacceptable

The Yemeni Journalists Syndicate renewed, on Sunday, its rejection of journalists appearing before terrorism courts in publishing cases, expressing its deep concern over the summoning of journalist Abdul Aziz Al-Majidi regarding the case of the killing of Brigadier General Adnan Al-Hammadi in Taiz.

The union said in a press release, "The Specialized Criminal Court for Terrorism Cases in Aden issued a decision to summon a number of journalists and activists to appear before it in the case of the killing of Brigadier General Adnan Al-Hammadi on charges of incitement."

The union expressed its deep concern over the summoning of journalist Abdul Aziz Al-Majidi and the nature of the charges against him and a number of activists summoned in the case of the killing of Brigadier Adnan Al-Hammadi, considering the charges brought by the criminal court against journalists in publishing cases as part of a criminal organization to be a serious and unacceptable matter.

She pointed out that she believes that this approach affects the course of justice in a case that occupies public opinion, as the assassination of the military leader and national figure Adnan Al Hammadi represented a great shock among the people.

The Yemeni Journalists Syndicate renewed in its statement its position rejecting the appearance of journalists before a special court for terrorism on the basis of publication cases, considering this approach by the judiciary in the areas of the legitimate government against journalists to be reprehensible and to the core of the reputation and integrity of the judiciary.

Earlier today, journalist Abdul Aziz Al-Majidi sent a report to the Journalists Syndicate, in which he said that he was surprised during the past few days by the circulation of news on the pages of activists and news websites about the Specialized Criminal Court for Terrorism Cases in Aden holding a session on Sunday, September 8, and issuing a decision to publish in the Official Gazette about those they called the instigators of the killing of Brigadier General Adnan Al-Hammadi, a crime that the authorities themselves say was killed by his brother, who is in their custody.

Al-Majidi added, "The involvement of my name and others who write their opinions on public affairs in a criminal offence has been subject to manipulation from the beginning and is being engineered from time to time by deleting and adding defendants and adapting the charge according to desires and employing it in the context of a political conflict between local parties with external drivers."

He pointed out that this "confirms that there are those who seek to silence journalists and opinion-makers, in addition to causing personal harm to me and my family and using Al Hammadi's blood to take revenge on innocent people."

He continued, wondering: “Is it reasonable that a person would kill his brother, who gave him influence, prestige and power by being at the head of a large military brigade, simply because he read an ordinary article or post by someone he did not know? Is it possible to turn things upside down and pass them off in this naive manner and incite the emotions of fanatics, where the unarmed journalist becomes an instigator against a person in authority?”

Journalist Al-Majidi said that accusing a person of inciting the killing of a person who had authority, influence, impact and followers, and then developing the charge into “forming an armed gang” with the killer, is a dangerous mob behavior that involves an implicit call for killing and revenge against innocent people in light of the state of chaos and collapse in the country.

He explained, "Its immediate impact and direct harm came through the death threats I was subjected to over the past years and the terrorizing of my children and family through organized campaigns on verified Facebook pages of activists and well-known pages that were used to insult, offend, and morally assassinate anyone who had a different point of view."

He pointed out that these measures establish the basis for the prosecution of journalists in terrorism courts, with fabricated crimes due to expressing their opinions, and there is a high readiness from the various ruling parties to employ them in revenge campaigns against anyone who rejects them, in light of the exposure of our backs from the existence of any features of a state and the control of the militias, in addition to the complete absence of an independent judiciary.

He continued: "The Journalists Syndicate played a notable role during the era of the previous regime in rejecting this type of court, and there were state institutions that existed at the bare minimum. How can this matter pass when the country has become torn apart and controlled by the de facto authorities, and the judiciary is being used to pursue, terrorize, intimidate and abuse journalists in light of the control of external forces over the country.

He concluded his statement by asking the union leadership to carry out its union and professional responsibilities and duties as an entity that protects and defends press freedoms, condemns and rejects these practices, and takes a clear and firm position regarding what I am being subjected to and what people of opinion and speech are being subjected to in general, calling on the International Federation of Journalists and all journalistic and human rights organizations in the world to condemn and denounce these practices and those behind them.