Journalist gets four year prison sentence in Shabwa

SHABWA, Jan. 21 (YPA) – A journalist received on Tuesday a four year prison sentence in Shabwa province, east of Yemen.

According to human rights sources in the province, a court affiliated with UAE-backed factions in the Ataq city accused Al-Ahmadi, who serves as the head of the bloc of journalists, media professionals, and activists in eastern provinces, of defamation.

The charge was based on a post in which he criticized the local authorities for leasing a plot of land to implement a renewable energy project.

In his post from last August, Al-Ahmadi questioned whether state-owned land had run out, forcing authorities to resort to renting private lands for public projects.

The ruling sparked a wave of ridicule and anger among citizens and activists, who denounced the trial of the journalist while ignoring major crimes such as murder, illegal land seizure in Ataq, and the escape of the perpetrators of these crimes from accountability or being brought to justice.

It came after the release of journalist Saleh Haqrous last month after he was kidnapped and placed in solitary confinement in a camp affiliated with the Emirati-funded factions, due to his criticism of corruption in the oil-rich Shabwa province.

AA