Mukalla (south24)

On Tuesday morning, a law court in Hadramout, South Yemne, issued a prison sentence against a journalist who works at "South24 Center for News and Studies".

A source told "South24" that the Public Funds Court in Sahil Hadramout (Hadramout Coast) issued a suspended 3 month- prison sentence against journalist Abdullah Mohsen Al-Shadli in a publishing case that dates back to the beginning of June 2021.

The court's decision came after sessions of deliberation and continuous summons to Al-Shadli after he published a report while working at "El-Yamn El-Araby" news website in which he accused a local university of corruption.

Al-Shadli told "South24" that "the verdict issued by the court is an attempt to silence me".

"South24 Center" condemned the growing violations against journalists in Hadramout. It declared solidarity with journalist Al-Shadli and called the authorities in Hadramout to stop chasing journalists, restricting freedoms and trying to silence their voices.

A number of journalists in South Yemen expressed their solidarity with Al-Shadli and called the court to reconsider the verdict which according to them "reflects the lack of a safe environment for practising press". 

Several journalists in Hadramout were arrested and tried during past years. Some of them are still awaiting trials.

Last Wednesday, Yemeni journalist, Saber Al-Haidari, who was a correspondent for the Japanese TV channel NKH, was killed after his car was being targeted by explosives, in the city of Al-Mansoura in Aden.