The Yemeni media are polarised by the different protagonists of the regional conflicts that affect the country and have no choice but to align themselves with those in power in their area, under penalty of sanctions. The website of the official national press agency Saba is currently under the control of the Houthis, but the government operates another site under the same name. The independent news site Al-Masdar supports the Islah Party, and Al-Masirah TV is the main Houthi mouthpiece. Online access to media outlets has been blocked in the country since the Houthis took control of the Ministry of Telecommunications & Information Technology. 

Providing independently reported news and information in Yemen is difficult, as the media are controlled by the various parties to the conflict. There are few foreign reporters in the field. Wherever they are, journalists are watched closely and can be arrested for their social media posts. Some journalists have changed careers to avoid reprisals, but that has not prevented them from being prosecuted for previously published articles.

Due to the conflict — despite the truce — the legal environment for journalists is very complex. The laws are out of step with the reality on the ground, and journalists depend on approval by the authorities, which is conditional on loyalty. Parliament, which proposes legislation, is paralysed by political division: half recognises the government, while the other supports the Houthi rebels.

Businessmen and politicians take advantage of the decline in the economic situation and living conditions to bribe journalists and media outlets. Journalists can only report freely if they have another source of income. Funding is provided to media outlets that are loyal to the authorities, businessmen, politicians or religious leaders. 

Religion is ubiquitous in Yemen and journalists who tackle topics deemed to be social problems risk being accused by religious figures of being “secular”, “infidel” and “atheist”.

Journalists are subject to abduction by both the Houthis and the official government. They are also victims of violence and abuses by militias, who target them for attacks, assassinations and death threats. Once detained, they can be tortured and mistreated. Four journalists accused of spying for Saudi Arabia and sentenced to death by the Houthis were released in 2023 following an agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran, which resulted in a truce between their respective allies in Yemen, the government in Aden and the Houthi rebels.