Aden: Press Prosecution Holds First Hearing in the Case of Journalist Abdulrahman Anis

The Press, Publications, and Electronic Media Prosecution Office in Aden held the first hearing on Sunday with journalist Abdulrahman Anis to hear to his statement regarding a complaint filed by the Southern Transitional Council (STC), which accuses him of “incitement and defamation through online platforms.”

The prosecution granted both parties, the journalist Anis on one side and the STC’s legal team on the other, a period of time to submit their defenses and relevant legal evidence, without setting a date for the next hearing.

The Marsadak (Yemeni Media Freedom Observatory) affirms that resorting to the judiciary is a legal right guaranteed to all parties, provided that it is exercised in a manner that ensures respect for freedom of expression and the independence of journalistic work, and that legal provisions are not used to restrict opinions or criminalize legitimate professional criticism.

Marsadak also points out that Yemeni laws regulating journalistic work still contain limitations and restrictions that curb press freedom and fail to provide sufficient protection for journalists while performing their duties. This underscores the need to review and update such laws to align with the Yemeni Constitution and international human rights standards.

While Marsadak respects the right of any party to seek judicial recourse, it calls on the Public Prosecution to handle this complaint with transparency and impartiality, ensuring the journalist’s right to fair legal procedures. It emphasizes that the judiciary should remain a means to uphold justice, not a tool to restrict press freedom or silence independent voices.