Yemeni journalist Majed Zayed disappears amid Houthi arrest campaign

Washington, D.C., September 29, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls for the immediate release of Yemeni freelance journalist Majed Zayed, who press freedom and human rights groups say was abducted by Houthi authorities on September 23 amid a wave of detentions.

Zayed, a contributor to independent Yemen-based media outlets Nafzet Al-Yemen, Almawqea Post, and Mda Press, was abducted Tuesday night while leaving a medical center in the capital, Sanaa. His whereabouts remain unknown. The abduction, which CPJ could not independently confirm, took place two days after he posted a patriotic song celebrating the Yemeni flag ahead of September 26, the anniversary of the founding of the republic, which Houthi authorities do not recognise as a national day.

“The abduction of Majed Zayed is the latest example of how the Houthi rebel group exploits politicized moments to intensify their crackdown on press freedom,” said CPJ Regional Director Sara Qudah. “The Houthis must disclose Zayed’s whereabouts, release him, and end their attacks on journalists.”

The abduction comes amid a broader Houthi crackdown ahead of the September 26 anniversary. On Tuesday, the Houthi-controlled Ministry of Interior issued a warning about hostile plots aimed at destabilizing the country and inciting discord.

At the same time last year, the group launched a wave of detentions targeting aid workers and critics of their rule, including Yemeni journalist Mohamed Al-Miyahi, who remains in jail.

Yemen has long been one of the world’s most dangerous countries for journalists, where they face killings by multiple actors and systematic repression from warring parties, including arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, blocking access to media outlets, and unfair trials occur with near-total impunity.