The Houthi rebels has launched a new campaign of abductions against journalists and activists in several areas under its control, ahead of the anticipated popular celebrations for the 63rd anniversary of the September 26, 1962 revolution, which overthrew the Imamate rule..
Local and human rights sources told "Khabar" Agency that the militia abducted journalist Auras Al-Iryani in the capital, Sana'a, after he publicly criticized the anniversary of the Houthi coup, as part of a series of persecutions targeting opposing voices.
The sources indicated that the fate of the abductees remains unknown amid a deliberate media blackout by the Houthi authorities.
The sources confirmed that the abductions were particularly concentrated in Sana'a and Ibb, coinciding with a heavy deployment of armed militants in the streets and raid campaigns on the homes of activists and citizens who participated in popular calls to celebrate the September Revolution.
Activists believe the Houthi escalation reflects a state of terror over the expanding scope of public anger, as the September 26 Revolution is seen as the founding revolution that overthrew the Imamate rule, while the group today seeks to reproduce it by imposing a hereditary authority through the force of arms.
In the same context, human rights organizations have warned against the continuation of the Houthi repression campaign targeting freedom of the press and expression, pointing out that targeting journalists is evidence of the group's rejection of any independent voice. They demanded the immediate release of all abductees and an end to the policy of muzzling voices practiced against Yemenis.