Yemen's Houthis block South24 Center website

Yesterday evening, the Houthis, who control internet services for the majority of Yemenis via the Public Telecommunications Corporation in Sanaa, cut off access to the official website of the South24 Center for News and Studies. 

Internet users throughout Aden, Hadramout, Sanaa, and other major cities in Yemen have reported difficulties in accessing the South24 Center's website and resorting to using virtual private network (VPN) software to overcome the restrictions.

The blocking of South24 Center's website by the Houthis likely began on Sunday evening between 9:00 and 10:30 Aden time and is still ongoing, with no indication of when or if it will end. 

South24 Center issued an official statement condemning the blocking of its website and calling on the Houthis to cancel the measure and not infringe on freedom of expression and the press.

The statement said: “We express our deepest concern over the recent and ongoing blocking of the official website of the South24 Center for News and Studies (south24.net) by Yemen Net and TeleYemen, two subsidiaries of the Public Telecommunications Corporation controlled by the Houthi group in Sana'a, from the Yemeni public on Sunday evening, March 10, 2024.” 

"This arbitrary measure is a flagrant violation of freedom of opinion and expression, and threatens to restrict access to vital information in Yemen," the statement continued.

“South24 Center reiterates that it is an independent journalistic and research institution with high credibility, which provides objective reports, analyses, research and studies on the current events in Yemen, especially in the South,” the statement added.

South24 Center considers the Houthis' move "a painful blow to independent journalism, [that] hinders the ability of Yemenis to obtain reliable information."

The statement went on: “We call on the relevant international bodies, including the United Nations and human rights organizations, to condemn this measure, and to pressure the Houthis to lift the ban on the center’s website immediately. We also call on all organizations defending press freedom to stand in solidarity with South24 Center and support it in confronting such violations".

The Houthis dominate the communications sector in Yemen through their control of TeleYemen, the international communications provider for most mobile networks in Yemen, and YemenNet, which provides Internet services through global providers.

The vast majority of Yemenis rely on Internet services run by the Houthis, with the internationally recognized government failing to regain control of communications or compete with the Houthis.

In recent years, the Houthis have continuously used the Internet to suppress and diminish the voices of their opponents, and even independents. They have blocked hundreds of Yemeni, Arab and international websites before reinstating access to many of them over the past two weeks. These include channels and newspapers that aid in the spreading of their propaganda regarding their maritime attacks in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. 

It is also believed that the Houthis use the internet and communications sector to spy on their opponents, and for intelligence and security purposes.

South24 Center is one of the most important media and studies centers in Yemen operating from Aden in South. The center provides objective coverage of events, with a recent focus largely on events in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the Houthi attacks.