Sada Organizes Workshop on “Freedom of Expression and Journalism in Yemen” with Local and International Participation
رشيد المليكي 
The National Organization of Yemeni Reporters (Sada) held an online workshop on Wednesday evening, bringing together more than 30 representatives from international and local organizations, along with Yemeni media institutions and journalists, to discuss a recently released legal study entitled: “Freedom of Expression and Journalism in Yemen: Between Legislative Shortcomings and Judicial Inadequacy.”
The workshop addressed key themes highlighted in the study, which documented the reality of press freedoms in Yemen and the obstacles facing the defense of freedom of expression. These challenges include shortcomings in constitutional and legal frameworks, in addition to issues within the judicial system, all of which have contributed to a serious decline in the state of media and journalism in the country.
In his remarks, Sada’s President, Youssef Hazeb, welcomed the participants and acknowledged the efforts behind preparing the study, while pointing to the difficulties confronting journalism in Yemen—particularly the deficiencies in legislation and the dysfunction of the judicial system.
The study’s author, Dr. Nabil Abdulwasae, presented the main findings and recommendations, followed by a brief intervention from media expert Jamal Anam, before the floor was opened for discussion. Participants enriched the session with their observations and proposals, addressing issues such as the constitutionality of specialized media courts, comparative experiences in conflict-affected countries, mechanisms for training judges on media-related cases, and the potential role of the Presidential Leadership Council in issuing laws in the absence of a functioning parliament, among other matters.
Representatives from international organizations—including UNESCO, Article 19, and the American Center for Justice—alongside Yemeni media leaders and journalists, presented additional recommendations stressing the importance of advancing legislative reforms to ensure the protection of freedom of expression and journalism. They affirmed their support for such initiatives and the valuable efforts being led by Sada and its partners.
