Yemen's Studies and Economic Media Centre reports 42 violations against media in September

SANA’A, 21st October, 2015 (WAM) – Studies and Economic Media Centre (SEMC) reported 42 violations against media institutions, media persons and social media activists in September in Yemen. The SEMC said the cases involved killings, kidnappings, threats, attempted murders, raids and ransacking of houses and media offices and blocking of media websites. A report by SEMC revealed 22 violations against media persons, two against media organisations, and 17 against social media activists. A breakdown showed 22 cases of kidnapping, seven injuries, five threats, three attempted assassinations, one case of killing and another of website blocking. ''Thirty six cases (85 per cent of attacks) were perpetrated by the Houthi militia, three cases by unknown assaulters, two by the government and one by Al Qaeda, the report noted. The SEMC expressed its grave concern at the continuous attacks against journalists and media social activists and condemned such violent acts as unjustifiable attempts to silence dissent voices. The SEMCS said the hostile statement made by the Houthi leader last month describing journalists as ''worse than ignorant mercenaries'' was viewed by media freedom rights defenders as a dangerous signal which makes life of journalists in Yemen at stake. The SEMC demanded the Houthi militia to cease using the policy of gagging the press, repression and harassment against journalists. ''The capital Sana'a, which is controlled by the Houthi militia since September 2014, was the worst scene of violations and attacks against freedom of the press,'' the report noted. The SEMC also deplored the suspension of many newspapers, news websites, TV and radio channels, and called for resumption of both public and independent broadcasters to provide accurate, impartial professional information to the public. The Studies and Economic Media Centre works on educating citizens on how to improve the economic system towards transparency as well as taking decisions and finding competent economic media. – Emirates News Agency, WAM - http://www.wam.ae/en/news/arab/1395286950381.html