Al Jazeera Condemns Death Threat Against Bureau Chief in Yemen

Al Jazeera condemns the death threat received by Saeed Thabit, Al Jazeera Arabic Bureau Chief in Sanaa, Yemen, in an anonymous phone call that threatened him with  “physical elimination”.

“This threat is not the first,” Thabit commented; “The caller was somebody who referred to himself as a member of Ansar Allah,  also known as the Houthi movement and told him “enough is enough, and soon we will execute our threat to physically eliminate you”.

Deputy Managing Director of Al Jazeera Arabic Ahmad Bin Salem Al Yafei commented; “We all stand in solidarity with our colleague Saeed Thabit, and all his colleagues in Sanaa bureau. These continuous threats are the price of our professionalism, that our coverage is known for in Yemen. We are sure that this will not stop us from performing our duties despite the risks that follow. We hold the Yemen Government, and Houthis who control Sanaa, responsible for the safety of our colleague Saeed.”

Al Jazeera appreciates the support given by media and rights organisations in Yemen, and those who condemn the continuous threats there.