Yemeni Journalist Ahmad Maher Released After 2.5 Years of Detention

January 21, 2025 -Yemen – 

Ahmad Maher, a Yemeni journalist and former correspondent for Al-Sharea newspaper, was finally released on January 18, 2025, after spending nearly two and a half years behind bars. His arrest on August 6, 2022, by security forces in Aden was carried out without a warrant. He was subjected to enforced disappearance, held incommunicado, and tortured—beaten, electrocuted, and waterboarded—force a confession, which was later published online to damage his reputation.

Initially accused of “spreading false news” and forging documents, Maher was later linked to a bombing case without evidence. For months, he was denied access to legal counsel and his family. His trial, widely criticized by international rights groups, lacked basic fairness. On May 28, 2024, the Specialized Criminal Court in Aden sentenced him to four years in prison in a ruling based largely on a forced confession.

Maher’s case drew condemnation from Amnesty International, Marsadak (Yemen’s Media Freedoms Observatory), and the Justice4Yemen Pact. These groups led sustained campaigns demanding his release and highlighting the broader crackdown on journalists in Yemen. In a rare victory for press freedom, an appeals court acquitted Maher on December 25, 2024, and ordered his release.

Following his release from Bir Ahmad Prison, Maher expressed gratitude to those who stood by him. While his freedom marks a major win for journalism in Yemen, rights groups continue to push for justice and accountability for the abuses he endured. Marsadak has called for investigations into his torture and unlawful imprisonment, while Justice4Yemen emphasized that Maher’s ordeal reflects a larger pattern of repression.

Other journalists, such as Mohammed Al-Miyahi and Nasif Shakir, remain detained or missing. Maher’s release offers hope, but the conditions for press freedom in Yemen remain dire. His case is a reminder of the risks Yemeni journalists face and the urgent need for international advocacy and reform.

Reference – 

https://amnesty.ca/urgent-actions/yemen-journalist-ahmad-maher-released/

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