Sada: Yemeni journalists are bereaved on the World Press Freedom Day
منظمة صدى 
Statement on the World Press Freedom Day:
National Organization of Yemeni Reporters (Sada) congratulates all journalists in Yemen and around world on the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day, expressing regret that it comes while eleven abducted journalists still confined in the prisons of the Houthi group for four years.
The bitter reality of press in Yemen and the world in general affirms the serious state of media freedoms as clear result of targeting journalists and media institutions, intimidating their work, particularly the ongoing gruesome practices of the Houthi group against press in Yemen over the past years.
The third of May hasn't become a world day for press freedoms, but tragic day in which we remember deceased journalists and gross violations perpetrated against journalism over past years and it reaches its peak in early 2019.
Sada organization holds Houthi group full responsible for the life of the abducted journalists in its prisons.
They are 24 journalists, 11 of them have been in the Houthis' jails for four year, and subjected to brutal physical and psychological torture and being neglected in an unethical and inhuman way.
We call on Houthi group to release these journalists immediately and to stop practicing violence against journalists in the areas under its control.
Sada calls on international organizations, mainly International Federation of Journalists and UN agencies and human rights bodies to shoulder its roles and assume its humanitarian duties to defend media rights and freedoms, and join efforts to advocate and support Yemeni journalists, as well pressure for their unconditional release.
Sada appreciates international efforts in support of Yemeni journalists, calling on UN secretary-general and his envoy in Yemen and IRCC to pay a visit to the journalists in Houthi prisons and inspect their conditions and tragedy, and exercise pressure on Houthi group to release them.
National organization of Yemeni Reporters strongly rejects that Houthi group or any party to deal with the issue of journalists as politically or politicize it or use it as bargaining chip.
Sada stresses that the file of journalists is pure humanitarian issue that must be dealt with in accordance with the international of human rights laws.
We renew our call to the journalists media institutions worldwide to boost cooperation with fellow journalists abducted by Houthi group in Yemen, and internationally publicize their right issue until their release and press.
Sada demands all to respect media freedoms and ensure freedom of speech and facilitate the work of journalists and media.
Freedom for the abducted journalists and for the detainees in Yemen and in the world
#WorldPressFreedomDay
#FreeAbductedJournalists
Statement released by:
The National Organization of Yemeni Reporters
#Sada
May 3rd 2019
