More than 30 Yemeni lawyers and human rights activists have formed a new coalition aimed at defending journalists persecuted for carrying out their work across Yemen.

The Media Freedoms Observatory in Yemen said in a statement yesterday that the “lawyers in defence of journalists” coalition aims to defend Yemeni journalists who are arrested, interrogated or tried in connection with their journalistic work as well as provide legal advice and training for them.

The observatory confirmed in its statement that the coalition is a voluntary initiative that will resort to all legal means to defend journalists according to the available capabilities and in cooperation and partnership with all activists and organisations defending freedom of expression and press freedom in Yemen.