Rasha Khaled Al-Harazi
Violation time: November 9, 2021
Place of violation: Aden Governorate
Type of violation: Killing
Perpetrator: Houthi
Journalist Mahmoud Al-Atmi recalls the day his wife and son, who had not yet seen the light, were killed, ” On November 9, 2021, while I was with my wife, journalist Rasha Al-Harazi, in Aden governorate, my car exploded by an explosive device that was attached to the bottom.” Rasha Al-Harazi, who was about to give birth was, that day on her way to a hospital in the interim capital of Aden, which is controlled by the internationally recognized government. On the way, an explosive device planted under the car exploded, Rasha died instantly, and because of the strength of the explosion, the remains of the fetus were mixed with those of his mother. Mahmoud Al-Atmi was seriously injured and was taken to intensive care.
Al-Atmi was working with a group of journalists in Hodeidah governorate in western Yemen. When the Houthis stormed the coastal governorate, they tried to attract some journalists to work for them, but they failed. When the Houthis started arresting some of them, a number of journalists managed to leave the city, Mahmoud Al-Atmi and his wife Rasha Al-Harazi were among the departures.
Before they were targeted with an explosive device, Rasha Al-Harazi worked for a number of local and international organizations and was a journalist for the 30 platforms, while Mahmoud Al-Atmi worked as a collaborator with Al-Arabiya and Al-Hadath channels.
Testimonies obtained by the Free Media Center for Investigative Journalism indicate that the Houthi group “Ansar Allah” is behind the targeting of Al-Atmi and Al-Harazi. In the testimonies we documented, some of Houthi leaders’ names are mentioned, including: Ammar Al-Qadami, Riad Baladi, “an officer in the military intelligence of the Houthis in Hodeidah”, Abu Alaa Al-Omeisy, “director of the Security and Intelligence Service in Hodeidah”, and Abu Zaid Al-Muayad, a security officer in Hodeidah.
One of the journalists who was arrested by the Houthi group in October 2018 confirmed that Houthi interrogators asked him about Mahmoud’s address and Rasha’s residence, in addition to some journalists in Hodeidah. They did this more than once, after a while: “Ammar Al-Qadami came to tell me that we had reached them, and every one of them would be arrested and illuminated. Abu Ammar told me that Rasha would be arrested and we would strip her naked and she would see actions she had never seen before” “Three days later, another interrogator came and asked me about the charity oven that Ghadeer Taira and Rasha Al-Harazi were running and who was supporting them.”
A witness (we hide his identity for security reasons) confirms one day: “They took me to interrogation, and told me: there is no one to ask about you and no one searches for you. Your colleagues are buying houses and cars, and we came to inform you of the news of ISIS Mahmoud and ISIS Rasha.”
At that time the witness did not understand their point , but later he found out the news: Rasha was killed and Mahmoud was injured when an explosive device exploded in their car in Aden. The scene was too harsh.
According to our follow-up of the procedures of the case, the official agencies have found evidence confirming that the Houthi groups “Ansar Allah” are behind the targeting of Rasha and her husband Mahmoud.
However, there are shortcomings in these procedures , which, in one way or another, have allowed suspects to flee from areas controlled by the internationally recognized government to areas of the Houthi group.
Free Media for Investigative Journalism calls on fellow journalists and human rights organizations to advocate for the issues of Yemeni journalists who have been subjected to violations in the past years, and to work to activate justice and hold the perpetrators of these violations accountable.
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* Free Media for Investigative Journalism calls on fellow journalists and human rights organizations to advocate for the issues of Yemeni journalists who have been subjected to violations in the past years, and to work to activate justice and hold the perpetrators of these violations accountable.
Note:
This summary is brief, and the full story will be published in the context of an in-depth report within the framework of the “For Truth” project, over the next few months.