The Journalists Syndicate condemns the arrest of journalist Mohammed Al-Yazidi in Aden and demands his immediate release

The Yemeni Journalists Syndicate condemned, on Thursday, the arrest of journalist Mohammed Abdul-Wahhab Al-Yazidi, a correspondent for Al-Jumhuriya TV in Aden, and demanded his immediate release.

The union said in a statement that it received a report from colleagues of journalist Mohammed Abdul-Wahhab Al-Yazidi, a correspondent for Al-Jumhuriya TV in Aden, stating that he was arrested last Monday by Aden security forces on the pretext of reports against him from a political and military figure on the basis of publications dating back more than four years.

The union considered the incident of Al-Yazidi’s arrest as one of a series of harassments and persecutions that Al-Yazidi has been subjected to over the past years, calling on the security authorities in Aden to investigate the incident and release him quickly.

The Syndicate renewed its call to the legitimate government to stop the repeated harassment of journalists in Aden, and to provide a safe environment for journalistic work and for workers in the media sector.

Human rights and media sources indicate that Al-Yazidi is being detained by Aden security forces based on a report submitted by the former governor of Hadhramaut, member of the Presidential Council, and Vice President of the Transitional Council, Faraj Salmeen Al-Bahsani, on charges he published years ago.

Years ago, during Al-Bahsani’s administration of Hadhramaut Governorate, the Yazidi journalist criticized, in posts on his personal Facebook page, the performance of the local authority and the deterioration of services in the governorate, and was subjected to harassment, which forced him to leave the governorate.