Yemeni Journalist Disappears Amid Escalating Threats from Houthi Forces

Yemeni journalist Ahmed Awadhah has been missing since March 10, 2025, following a series of threats reportedly made by a Houthi-affiliated intelligence officer. Awadhah vanished from Sana’a, the Houthi-controlled capital, after previously alerting his colleagues that he feared for his safety due to increasing pressure over his reporting.

His disappearance has sparked international concern among press freedom advocates, including the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and IFEX, who have called for his immediate release and for the Houthis to end their ongoing campaign of intimidation against journalists. According to CPJ, Awadhah’s last communication mentioned being summoned by the authorities, after which all contact ceased.

Awadhah’s case is not isolated. In Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, journalists face a constant threat of arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, torture, and, in some cases, death sentences. Multiple journalists have been jailed on vague or politically motivated charges. For example, Mohamed Al-Miyahi was detained for over three months before appearing in a Houthi-run court, and others remain imprisoned without trial. IFEX reports that Houthi forces have developed a chilling strategy of slowly torturing imprisoned journalists, using psychological and physical abuse as a tool to suppress dissent.

These tactics have created an environment of fear and self-censorship among media professionals in Yemen. Over 40 media and human rights organizations have jointly condemned the Houthis’ actions, stating that the group is engaged in a systematic crackdown on press freedom. Despite repeated international condemnation, there is little accountability, and abuses continue with impunity.

The disappearance of Ahmed Awadhah underscores the urgent need for global intervention to protect journalists operating under repressive regimes. Organizations are calling on the United Nations and other international bodies to pressure the Houthis for transparency, access to detainees, and compliance with international human rights norms.

As conflict and repression continue to engulf Yemen, journalists like Awadhah risk their lives to report the truth. His case serves as a grim reminder of the cost of journalism in conflict zones—and the growing need for protection and advocacy on behalf of those who speak out.