Taiz – Houthi and Saleh militias continue to kill civilians in Taiz, particularly journalists whose lives were taken because they wanted to present the truth as it is, according to human rights activists and organizations.
The activists blamed Houthi for inciting murders against journalists during his delivered speeches.
Yemeni Journalists Syndicate (YJS) said that what insurgents did is a terrorist massacre against journalists who were only trying to cover the clashes in Taiz.
YJS held Houthi leaders’ full responsibility for the crimes which comes after systemic instigation against media led by leader Houthi who bluntly called for killing journalists.
The syndicate added that the silence of international organizations has further encouraged the crimes and violations of international laws. It urged the UN and international community to take full responsibility and handle the murders as war crimes by international courts.
Human Rights Information and Training Center (HRITC) called upon the international community to condemn the insurgents’ criminal actions and exert more pressures to put an end to the massacres.
The center said that killing the journalists is a first degree humanitarian crime and insurgents should be put to trial in international and local courts.
In addition, HRITC urged the international community and humanitarian organizations to send urgent aids to Taiz which had been under continuous bombing and destruction for almost two years.
Women Journalists Without Chains also condemned Houthis militias for targeting the journalists in Taiz. In a statement issued, it expressed deep concern about the continued crimes against journalists by the coup’s militia. It pointed out that it has been not the first time that the militia deliberately targeted journalists who struggle for the truth and to convey violations and atrocities to the world.
The organization also recalled when Houthi militia leader, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, considered in one of his speeches: “Journalists are more dangerous than fighters and mercenaries”. The organization said that his speech is not only an incitement but also a direct order to target journalists.
The organization urged international and human rights organizations, “all the world’s free and advocates for freedoms and rights, first and foremost the United Nations and International Federation of Journalists” to condemn the violations against journalists and pressure the militia to stop targeting media professionals.
It also reiterated the necessity to take serious action in order to stop the Houthis’ crimes and violations against journalists, calling for the release of all media workers and journalists kidnapped in jails of the militia.