Yemen’s journalists physically abused in KSA/UAE controlled Aden: CPJ

YemenExtra

M.A.

Yemen’s media and journalists are being physically abused in the southern Yemeni province of Aden, which is under the control of United Arab Emirates forces, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said.

Yemen’s authorities in Aden must investigate an attack on the Shomoa’ Foundation’s press office and ensure that journalists operating in areas under their control operate freely and safely, the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists said in a statement.

Armed elements, backed by UAE forces, stormed the offices of the Al-Shomoa’ Foundation on March 1 and set fire to newspapers and printing presses used to print for “Al-Shomoa'”and “Akhbar Al-Youm”.

CPJ reported that the UAE military attaché did not immediately respond to CPJ’s request to comment on the website of the UAE Embassy in Washington, DC, and that CPJ was unable to verify the identity of the attackers.

The attack came just over a week after the Committee to Protect Journalists documented how the so-called “elite” forces, also operating within the framework of the United Arab Emirates Alliance, arrested Yemeni journalist Awad Kashmim at a checkpoint near Mukalla in Hadramout governorate on February 21 , as part of the coalition campaign, and he is still in detention.