WJWC condemns Houthi militia for targeting group of Journalists in Taiz
Women Journalists Without Chains (WJWC) condemns in the strongest possible terms the crime the Houthi militia and forces loyal to ousted president Ali Saleh committed today when they fired a mortar shell at a gathering of journalists while covering battles in areas to the east of Taiz province, resulting in the killing of photojournalists Wael al-Absi and Taqi al-Din al-Huthaifi and the media activist Sa’ad al-Nidhari, the amputation of the leg of Walid al-Qadasi and the injury of Salah al-Din al-Wahbani; all of them have been working for local media.
WJWC expresses deep concern about the continued crimes against journalists by the coup’s militia, pointing out that it has been not the first time that the militia deliberately targeted journalists who struggle for the truth and to convey violations and atrocities to the world.
The human rights advocate recalls how the Houthi militia leader, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, considered - in one of his inflammatory speeches- journalists to be more dangerous than fighters and mercenaries, and this is not only an incitement but also a direct order to target journalists.
In this context, Women Journalists Without Chains calls on international and human rights organizations, all the world’s free and advocates for freedoms and rights, first and foremost the United Nations and International Federation of Journalists, to condemn grave violations against journalists and exert enough pressure on the militia to stop targeting media professionals.
It also reiterates the necessity to take serious action in order to stop the Houthi militia’s recurring crimes and violations against journalists, and release all media workers and journalists kidnapped in jails of the militia.
Issued by:
Women Journalists Without Chains
Friday, May 26, 2017