Michigan - The American Center for Justice (ACJ) expresses grave concern over actions taken by the Specialized Criminal Court and Prosecution in Aden, which have targeted nine journalists, lawyers, and activists by naming them as defendants in the assassination case of Brigadier General Adnan Al-Hammadi, commander of the 35th Brigade.

The Specialized Criminal Court in Aden issued a decision to publicly list the names of these nine individuals as fugitives. The ACJ asserts that this decision violates legal standards and undermines judicial independence, reflecting the judiciary's deteriorating state in the country.

The individuals affected by this decision are: journalist Abdul Aziz Al-Majidi, journalist Am Al-Sufi, lawyer Yasser Al-Miliki, and activists Ahmed Al-Dhabhani, Walid Abdul Majid, Musab Al-Qudsi, Mukhtar Al-Wajih, Amros Al-Samadi, Haitham Al-Namiri, and Yaseen Al-Ali.

The ACJ highlights that the prosecution and court have accused these activists of forming an armed gang, citing previous articles and social media posts criticizing "Al-Hammadi" as evidence, claiming these writings incited his assassination. However, the case file and investigations clearly indicate that Brigadier General Adnan Al-Hammadi’s murder was a purely criminal act, committed by his brother at their home, in the presence of Al-Hammadi’s personal guards. The brother is currently in custody and facing trial.

This misuse of the judiciary constitutes a blatant violation of human rights and freedoms, signaling a dangerous decline in the freedom of speech and expression in Yemen, especially in areas controlled by armed groups.

The ACJ firmly rejects these charges, emphasizing that they violate the rights to freedom of opinion and expression guaranteed by both the Yemeni Constitution and international law. Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that "everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression." Additionally, Article 6 of the Yemeni Constitution protects human rights and guarantees respect for public freedoms.

In light of these developments, the American Center for Justice calls on the Yemeni government, and specifically the judicial authorities in Aden, to immediately drop all charges against the nine activists, end the politicization of the judiciary, and cease using it as a tool for persecuting innocent people and activists. The ACJ also urges respect for human rights and for justice to be administered independently and fairly.

Furthermore, the ACJ calls on the international community and human rights organizations to closely monitor the situation in Yemen and take appropriate measures to ensure the protection of journalists, lawyers, and activists, preventing the recurrence of such violations.