Journalist Ahmed Maher has been arbitrarily detained by the Southern Translation Council (STC). Now there is an attempt to legalize the arbitrary practices committed against him by referring him to trial, which has been postponed eleven times this year. Journalist Maher is still kidnapped in harsh conditions.

Ahmed Maher was abducted on August 6, 2022 and was detained at the Dar Saad police headquarters in Aden where he was subjected to physical and psychological torture and enforced disappearance, according to his family’s account, before being forced to confess to participating in various terrorist crimes and publishing this confession on September 4 2022.

The President of the Presidential Leadership Council intervened and demanded an investigation into Maher's case after publishing the video of the forced confession, but this request was ignored. After that, Maher was transferred to Bir Ahmed prison in Aden on September 15, 2022, to be referred to the court, which postponed his trial 11 times. STC-affiliated media outlets accused him of publishing false and misleading information to disturb peace and security.

The American Center for Justice (ACJ) considers all the procedures that journalist Maher was subjected to illegal practices and serious violations of the constitution, the law, and human rights charters and such practices should be stopped immediately. Additionally, the ACJ believes that what Maher did was nothing but practicing his journalistic work and conveying information to the public and his right as a citizen to express his opinion and criticize illegal practices.

The American Center for Justice (ACJ) calls for the intervention of the international community to press for Maher's release, rehabilitation and compensation for the psychological, material and social damage he was subjected to, and to ensure that neither he nor other journalists and activists are subjected to such abuse.

The ACJ also calls on the Yemeni Attorney General to put an end to such violations, as well as holding the perpetrators accountable and bringing them to justice through transparent and impartial procedures.