Journalist Alleges Severe Abuses During Arbitrary Detention in Marib

Journalist Hammoud Hazaa has detailed a series of severe legal and humanitarian violations he endured during a recent arbitrary detention in Marib Governorate. He stated on Facebook that his detention began without any legal justification or judicial order.

Hazaa reported that security forces subsequently subjected him to enforced disappearance, completely isolating him from the outside world and preventing his family and colleagues from ascertaining his well-being or location, a clear breach of human rights conventions.

He further elaborated that his captors not only concealed his whereabouts but also flagrantly violated his privacy by confiscating his mobile phone and scrutinizing its contents and personal messages. Concurrently, he faced intense psychological pressure and systematic intimidation aimed at breaking his will. This was compounded by a smear campaign launched against him through platforms affiliated with official entities, which later retracted their statements under the weight of evidence.

The journalist asserted that the transgressions extended beyond moral harm to include degrading physical assault, such as being forcibly compelled to shave his head. He was then made to sign unlawful, coercive undertakings as a prerequisite for his release. These practices have drawn widespread condemnation from the Journalists' Syndicate and human rights organizations, who view the incident as a serious indicator of the decline of freedom of expression in the country.