Yemeni journalist and writer Salah Al-Ruhani has been held in undisclosed Houthi detention facilities for several months, with his whereabouts and condition remaining unknown, prompting increasing calls for his disclosure and release.
Al-Ruhani has been detained in one of the Houthi militia's prisons in Sanaa for months, without access to his family or lawyer, and without official charges being announced. This has raised significant concerns among journalistic and human rights circles regarding his safety and legal rights.
According to information obtained, security forces raided Al-Ruhani's home approximately two weeks before the start of Ramadan. The operation, described as extensive, involved establishing a security cordon around his residential neighborhood before he was taken to an unknown detention location, which remains unknown to his family.
Since then, all communication from Al-Ruhani has ceased. His family is experiencing profound anxiety and suspense due to the lack of official information regarding his location or health status. Al-Ruhani is known for his active role as a journalist and writer on public affairs, having extensively covered and analyzed political and intellectual issues in recent years, which has led to widespread interest in his detention among colleagues and media professionals.
A statement issued by the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate indicated that inquiries made to security agencies about Al-Ruhani's status have yielded no clear results. Responses have been limited to stating that the matter is under "procedures," without providing further clarification or allowing his family to visit or communicate with him.
The Syndicate has expressed deep concern over Al-Ruhani's continued detention under mysterious circumstances, asserting that denying him his right to communicate with his family and lawyer constitutes a violation of fundamental legal rights. It emphasized that the continued detention of journalists outside legal frameworks not only harms the targeted individuals but also negatively impacts press freedoms and freedom of expression, deepening concerns among those working in the media.
The Syndicate has called for the immediate disclosure of Salah Al-Ruhani's place of detention, ensuring he receives his full legal rights, including contact with his family and lawyer, and his release unless clear and announced legal charges are brought against him through established judicial procedures. Al-Ruhani's case has become a growing source of concern for his colleagues and friends over the past months, who continue to demand knowledge of his fate, affirming that the absence of information exacerbates his family's suffering and raises serious questions about his detention conditions and future.
