Journalist Fahd Al-Arhabi was arrested by the Houthi security services on 5 June after having received multiple calls and summons by the Security and Intelligence Service in the Amran Governorate. He was then directly put in jail. Al- Arhabi was arrested for revealing information on a senior politician who took control of a large plot of land that belonged to the workers of a state-owned cement factory.
The journalist was previously arrested in July 2021 after a publication on his Facebook page documenting and criticising an attack orchestrated by the Houthis in the city of Amran.
The situation of journalists and press freedom in the country is continuously worsening. Since early June, at least five arrest warrants have been issued against journalists for investigating alleged corruption in the judiciary of Marib, a city located north east of Yemen's capital, Sana'a.
The Yemeni Journalists Syndicate (YJS), condemned the arrest and said “we call on the de facto authorities in Amran Governorate to release the colleague Al-Arhabi, who has been harassed for months for his publications s.”
As well as Al-Arhabi, seven journalists are currently held behind bars in the country, according to YJS. The IFJ calls for their immediate release and for the constant intimidation against journalists to stop.
Anthony Bellanger, IFJ General Secretary, said : “The situation of journalists and press freedom in Yemen is becoming more concerning by the day and the regular attempts to silence critical reporting is outrageous. The arbitrary arrest and imprisonment of our colleague Fahd Al-Arhabi shows once again the pattern of intimidation that is targeting journalists in the country. We call for his immediate release, as well as all others currently detained by the authorities.”