Marsadak Condemns the Targeting of 26 September and Al-Yemen Newspapers and the Killing of 31 Journalists

The Marsadak(Yemeni Media Freedom Observatory) condemns the horrific crime that targeted the headquarters of the 26 September and Al-Yemen newspapers, official media outlets of the Houthi forces (Ansar Allah), in the Sana’a on September 10, following an Israeli airstrike that killed 31 journalists and staff members of the newspapers and injured 22 others with varying degrees of severity, according to statements issued by the two newspapers after three days of search operations under the rubble of the completely destroyed building.

Targeting media institutions and journalists constitutes a grave breach of international humanitarian law, which stipulates the protection of journalists as civilians so long as they are not directly participating in hostilities, and criminalizes the targeting of media outlets due to their affiliation with a governmental or military entity.  Marsadak affirms that this crime amounts to a war crime that requires international investigation and accountability.

The Marsadak also reiterates its rejection of the decisions issued by Houthi authorities banning the photographing or publishing of any images or footage from the targeted sites under the pretext of so-called “public interest and security precautions,” accompanied by threats of legal action against violators.

Marsadak stresses that these decisions are merely an extension of previous measures obliging journalists, photographers, and content creators to obtain prior permits before carrying out their work, which constitutes yet another tool to restrict media freedoms and prevent journalists from performing their duties freely and independently.

The Marsadak expresses its full solidarity with the families of the victims and the wounded and reaffirms its commitment to continue documenting the violations faced by journalists in Yemen and advocating for their causes in various international forums.

List of Victims:

1. 1. Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh
   2. Yusuf Shams Al-Din
   3. Ali Naji Al-Shara’i
   4. Sami Al-Zaidi
   5. Mohammed Al-Omaysi
   6. Murad Al-Faqih
   7. Ali Al-Faqih
   8. Abdulqawi Al-Asfoor
   9. Basheer Dublan
   10. Aref Al-Samhi
   11. Mohammed Al-Mutairi
   12. Abdulwali Al-Najjar
   13. Abdu Al-Sa’di
   14. Abdulaziz Shas
   15. Abdullah Al-Harazi
   16. Mohammed Al-Za’akari
   17. Zuhair Al-Za’akari
   18. Mohammed Al-Sonafi
   19. Mohammed Al-Harazi
   20. Jamal Al-Adhi
   21. Essam Al-Hashdi
   22. Saleem Al-Wuteiri
   23. Abbas Al-Dailami
   24. Lutfi Hudaiyan
   25. Qais Al-Naqeeb
   26. Mohammed Al-Dhaawi
   27. Faris Al-Rumaisah
   28. Abdulrahman Juma’an
   29. Ali Al-Faqih
   30. Amal Al-Munakhi
   31. Abdullah Al-Bahri