International press body calls for respect for media in Yemen

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) Thursday called for all factions involved in the continuing violent unrest in Yemen to uphold and respect the rights and freedoms of media workers in the country.
The IFJ in a statement said it has issued the call following reports that the 'Al Yemen El Yawm' TV station, based in Yemen's capital city, Sanaa, has now been closed for over three months. The Yemeni government closed the station in June accusing it of inciting rebellion against it.
"We call for President Hadi and his forces to immediately bring an end to the measures they have taken to prevent the station from broadcasting," said IFJ General Secretary Beth Costa.
"The President and the relevant authorities in Yemen must also ensure that staff at the station, who are committed to doing their jobs as journalists and media workers, are properly compensated for the wages they have lost and the stress that has been caused to them," she said.
The IFJ said the situation in Yemen for media workers has become increasingly precarious, with many reports of intimidation and violence against journalists.
During their recent offensive in Sanaa the Houthi group took control of a number of media stations in the city, confiscating equipment and detaining staff. Many stations, including the privately owned Suhail TV and state owned Yemen TV, Sheba TV and El Eman TV, remain under Houthi control.
"We are deeply concerned about the increasingly precarious situation for media workers in Yemen," said Costa. "We call on all sides to uphold the right of journalists to do their jobs and we advise journalists working in Sanaa to stay safe and remain vigilant at all times." The Brussels-based IFJ represents more than 600.000 journalists in 134 countries.