Yemen: Journalist Nabiha al Haidari faces brutal harassment after the killing of her brother

Nabiha al Haidari has been the target of very serious attacks and online harassment since the killing of her brother in mid-June. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate (YSF) condemn the harassment and attacks directed at journalist Nabiha al Haidari and urge the authorities to identify and prosecute the attackers.

MARVIN RECINOS / AFP

On 15 June 2022, Saber al-Haidari, Nabiha's brother and a former Yemeni journalist working for foreign media outlets, was killed after a device planted on his car exploded while he was driving home in the southern city of Aden, Yemen.

Since the assassination of her brother, Nabiha Al-Haidari received tens of demeaning, abusive and insulting messages. For many of these messages, the mobile numbers are known.

Like her brother, Nabiha is a 30-year veteran journalist. Currently working at the Yemeni Saba news agency, she has worked in the past for the Al-Yamen Al-Youm TV channel as well as for the Jordan News Agency and CNN as a reporter. She has also been involved as a trainer in the media field.

The YJS is condemning these messages and demanding that the authorities in Yemen work with telecommunication companies to track the owners of these numbers and bring them to justice. The IFJ and YJS also support her legal action in the Yemen courts to track and identify the perpetrators.

Nabiha al Haidari’s case displays how women are faced with attacks for being journalists, even when they are grieving. Her courage in standing up against this harassment shows her strength to fight on behalf of thousands of women journalists in the region who are harassed and subjected to similar violence in silence. 

IFJ General Secretary, Anthony Bellanger, said: “We denounce such vile attacks and, especially after the loss she suffered, this harassment against this women journalist is deeply shameful. We offer Nabiha al Haidari all our support and will stand by her side and the YJS’ in her fight to hold her harassers accountable. We cannot tolerate this situation and such impunity for crimes against journalists in Yemen.” 

For more information, please contact IFJ on +32 2 235 22 16

The IFJ represents more than 600,000 journalists in 146 countries

Follow the IFJ on TwitterFacebook and Instagram

Subscribe to IFJ News