Journalist Support Committee condemns the suspension of internet services in Yemen

The Journalist Support Committee is following with great concern the situation of the Internet in Yemen, as the internet was almost completely removed from service on January 30, 2020, after the storming of the cable landing station in Aden by some parties who deliberately separated the ambulatory capacities, According to a statement by TeleYemen.

The Committee, while calling on international organizations, especially the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), to conduct an independent and transparent investigation to determine the perpetrators and to take necessary measures against them, condemns unequivocally every action that leads to intentional prevention or obstruction of access to information, and every blocking or signal jamming of the Internet service that impedes the right to access information or the right to disseminat facts to the public. The committee also denonces every action that falls under the framework of intentional restriction of freedom of opinion and expression, which constitutes a flagrant violation of Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which guarantees the right to freedom of opinion and expression and includes Freedom to hold opinions without interference, in addition to the right to seek information and ideas, receive and impart through any intermediary, regardless of borders.

The Journalist Support Committee calls on all parties in the conflict in Yemen to neutralize telecommunications services from the ongoing conflict and to respect digital rights as a basic human right and to take the necessary measures to prevent any action that poses a threat to the web and telecommunications and respect and protect the citizen's right to obtain accurate information from its sources as a guaranteed right enshrined in the human rights legislation and the Charter of the United Nations, which stipulates the right of peoples and individuals to freedom of expression and access to information.

The Committee stresses the need to provide all forms of support and aid to the relevant Yemeni authorities in Sana'a to reconnect network and secure all supplies that allow Yemeni citizens to obtain and disseminate information, especially in light of the ongoing embargo imposed on Yemen since five years ago.

Journalists Support Committee - Switzerland
February 17, 2020