SOUTHERN TRANSITIONAL COUNCIL MOURNS DEATH OF JOURNALIST NABIL AL-QAITI

[ADEN – 3 June 2020] With deep sadness and pain, the Southern Transitional Council mourns the death of the war photographer the martyr Nabil Hassan Al-Qaiti, in a treacherous terrorist operation on Tuesday afternoon in front of his house in Dar Saad district in the southern capital of Aden.

On Tuesday, 2 June, unidentified gunmen assassinated South Yemeni journalist, Nabil Al-Qaiti, in Aden. Al-Qaiti was an award-winning videographer and photographer who powerfully and devotedly relayed the Yemeni crisis to the world, exposing the tragic realities of the war and giving a voice to the Southern people and their suffering.

A finalist for Britain’s Rory Peck Award for his work, Al-Qaiti was known for his bravery and tenacity in covering frontlines across the country. His death is a loss to the global press community and to us all in the South. Attacks against journalists are unconscionable, and we firmly stand against any violence, harassment, or censorship of members of the press.

The Southern Transitional Council will lead a thorough investigation into Al-Qaiti’s death, which is one of a series of assassinations against prominent Southern figures. We are committed to holding those responsible accountable for these heinous crimes, and to ensure the safety and freedoms of journalists and civil society speaking truth to power.

The Southern Transitional Council is shocked and deeply saddened by the loss of Nabil Al-Qaiti, who was a husband and father in addition to being a distinguished journalist. We extend our deepest condolences to his family.