Women Journalists Without Chains (WJWC) strongly condemns the arbitrary arrest of Yemeni journalist Awad Kashmeem by security forces in Hadhramaut Governorate.

The organization views this action as a clear infringement on press freedom and an alarming attempt to silence critical and independent voices.

According to verified information received by WJWC, security forces apprehended Kashmeem on Wednesday, April 16, 2025, from a public market in the Haridhah District of Hadhramaut Valley. His arrest came just days after his home was reportedly raided and searched by the same forces. He was subsequently taken to an undisclosed location, with no official charges announced and no information provided regarding his whereabouts.

WJWC holds the local authorities in Hadhramaut fully responsible for the safety and well-being of journalist Kashmeem and demands his immediate and unconditional release.

This arrest, based solely on Kashmeem’s journalistic and media activities, reflects a broader and deeply troubling pattern of escalating repression against independent journalists in Yemen. WJWC affirms that such actions not only violate domestic legal protections but also contravene Yemen’s international obligations to uphold freedom of expression and safeguard the press.

The organization further stresses that the targeting of journalists like Awad Kashmeem is part of a systematic campaign to stifle dissent, restrict the shrinking space for civil liberties, and dismantle what remains of independent media in the country.

Women Journalists Without Chains calls on international human rights bodies, press freedom organizations, and the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression to denounce this arrest and to exert all necessary pressure on the concerned authorities to secure Kashmeem’s release—along with all other journalists unlawfully detained in Yemeni prisons.

WJWC remains steadfast in its commitment to defending press freedom, exposing violations against journalists, and ensuring that the voices of the silenced are brought to the forefront of international attention.

Issued by

Women Journalists Without Chains

April 16, 2025