MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The family of a missing Sputnik freelance in Yemen, who hasn't been available in several days, told Sputnik that they do not know anything about the current whereabouts or condition of the journalist.
"There are no contacts between the Houthis and the families of people held by them. The last time he [a Sputnik correspondent] contacted us was on December 3. They [the Houthi rebels] have entered the house, have searched it, he is with them… We do not know what they are searching for! At the moment we know nothing about him, about his fate. We have not been in contact with them," the freelance reporter's cousin said.
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Sputnik freelance reporter in #Yemen missing after #Houthi takeover of TV center https://t.co/q0diu8mYSO #MiddleEast pic.twitter.com/YPLImMCEyF
— Sputnik US (@SputnikNewsUS) 5 декабря 2017 г.
The correspondent, who was working for Sputnik in Yemen, went missing on Sunday. No one was able to contact him since around 11:30 GMT, after the Houthis had established control over the building of the TV station in Sanaa. Two separate sources told Sputnik on Tuesday that the reporter is being held by Houthi rebels.
On Sunday, journalists went on a hunger strike to protest the detention.
Houthi rebels on Monday announced the murder of the former president of Yemen Ali Abdullah Saleh, having published through an official television channel a video featuring the bloody body of the former leader of the country.
