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Maonah Association for Human Rights condemns the breaking into the private “Yemen Today” Satellite TV Channel’s headquarters in Sana’a by the Presidential Guard forces, as well as its confiscation of the channel ‘s equipment, aiming to stop the broadcasting , on the afternoon of Wednesday, June 11th, 2014. It also condemns the continued closure of the Channel till now.
The Association considers this official violation by authorities as a major setback for freedom and human rights in Yemen, and reveal a dangerous trend of the authority to suppress press freedom , at a time when the country is in a desperate need for more freedoms, as one of the entitlements of the current political stage.

An official source in the “Yemen Today” Channel - refused to allow to disclose his identity, fearing for his life- has reported to the association: " The Presidential Guard stormed the headquarters of the channel by force of arms and notarization of weapons in the faces of channel journalists and staff, and confiscated the broadcasting & media equipment; cameras, servers, media archives, hard disks, computers and Staff’s personal laptops. He explained that the presidential forces stormed the channel without any decision of the judicial authorities and the public prosecutor ... merely those forces by saying they are following orders from high officials to do so. He pointed out that this presidential move came as a result of the channel’s coverage of current local events and regional developments, especially its coverage to the Egyptian presidential election. As for these documented crimes, the Association expresses its deep concern and strong condemnation to the brutal assault to “Yemen Today” channel , and declares Association standing and full solidarity with the channel and with the media journalists and workers.
The Association calls upon all international, regional and local human rights organizations and groups to express solidarity with them and to use all possible means to exert pressure on the Yemeni authorities to reverse this decision- which is still implemented till now- which create a serious concern not only among channel and its staff, but also among all other private media units &channels, which fears that this measure will be the first step in the authorities exercise for similar violations against other media.

The Association also considers the closing of any media units as a governmental blatantly violating to Yemen's international obligations in the field of freedom of the press, and an negative oppressive act of the right to freedom of opinion and expression and freedom of the media, and a government systematically bullying on the judicial authorities of His sole jurisdiction to take any similar measures, and even an impediment to the desired change in the country, and contrary to the principle of transparency and good governance with all the covenants and declarations of universal human rights. Finally, the association appeals to the Yemeni President to apologize to the channel and its staff and return the looted equipment which was taken by the presidential forces soldiers and allow re-transmission of the channel immediately , and bring those involved in this crime to justice for interrogation and punishment , according to the law and God bless all.