The Specialized Criminal Court in Aden, the temporary capital of the internationally recognized government, issued a sentence on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, sentencing journalist “Ahmed Maher” to four years in prison on charges of spreading false information and forging documents. This comes after two years of arbitrary detention since his arrest on August 6, 2022, by the Dar Saad police in Aden. We, the undersigned organizations, consider the verdict against Maher a threat to freedom of expression, an entrenchment of security measures in dealing with journalists, and a serious deviation from the path of justice.

We express our deep condemnation and denunciation of the verdict against journalist “Ahmed Maher” and call on the legitimate government to stop violations and arbitrary practices against journalists and activists. We also urge the authorities in Aden to promptly refer Maher’s case file to the Criminal Court of Appeal to address the legal violations and expedite his unconditional release.

An Arabic copy can be found at: