Marsadak Condemn the Raid and Closure of Aden Al-Ghad Newspaper and the Detention of Its Editor-in-Chief

Marsadak (Yemeni Media Freedom Observatory) condemns the raid on the headquarters of Aden Al-Ghad newspaper and its closure by armed men accompanied by a representative of the Culture Office in Aden city on Saturday, 27 September 2025, and the detention of the Newspaper’s editor-in-chief, journalist Fathi bin Lazraq, before he was later released.

In a live broadcast on his Facebook page following his release, journalist Fathi bin Lazraq stated that the armed men affiliated with the Culture Office closed the newspaper’s headquarters without any legal justification or judicial order and took him to the Kabota Police Station, which released him due to the absence of any lawful grounds for his detention.

Bin Lazraq explained that the raid and detention occurred just one day after he reported on the issue of illegal levies in Aden and questioned the entities benefiting from them, raising concerns that the incident may be linked to an attempt to restrict press freedom and prevent journalists from addressing public-interest issues.

While Marsadak (Yemeni Media Freedom Observatory) expresses full solidarity with Aden Al-Ghad and its editor-in-chief, it affirms that what happened constitutes a violation of press freedom.

It also calls on local authorities in Aden to launch an urgent investigation into the incident, hold those responsible accountable, and ensure that such practices are not repeated, as they undermine the media environment in Aden and hinder independent journalistic work.