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The National Center for Human Rights and Democratic Development in Yemen (NCHRDD) has strongly condemned the incitement campaign launched by former Member of Parliament and senior Islah Party leader Abdullah Ahmed Ali Al-Adeeni against southern journalist Ahd Yassin, a presenter at Al-Jumhuriya channel and a member of the Southern Journalists and Media Professionals Syndicate.

The attack came after Yassin appeared on screen without a headscarf.

Al-Adeeni’s post triggered widespread public outrage after he described the journalist’s appearance as “contrary to religion and morals”, claiming it violated what he called “the constants of the Yemeni people.” He demanded that the channel’s management and its former chairman, Tareq Mohammed Abdullah Saleh, “correct the wrongdoing,” threatening pressure campaigns against the channel if it did not adhere to what he referred to as “Islamic identity.”
His post used hardline religious rhetoric and strict doctrinal interpretations, rekindling broad criticism of the inflammatory discourse long associated with the Muslim Brotherhood and some of its prominent figures.

NCHRDD: Al-Adeeni’s rhetoric reflects ISIS and Taliban mentality  a direct call to violence

The NCHRDD stressed that Al-Adeeni’s statements are not merely a “religious opinion,” but rather extremist rhetoric mirroring the mindset of ISIS and the Taliban, amounting to a direct call for incitement and violence against journalists and women.
The organization noted that Ahd Yassin has already received death threats from anonymous social media accounts following Al-Adeeni’s post — clear evidence, it said, of the dangerous impact such extremist incitement can have on personal safety.

NCHRDD President Jamal Alawadhi stated that Al-Adeeni’s remarks “seek to impose ideological guardianship over society, legitimize violence against women working in media, and blatantly violate national laws and international conventions.”
He added that targeting female journalists over dress codes or so-called “Islamic identity” is part of broader efforts to restrict personal freedoms and silence critical voices.

A renewed cycle of incitement

Observers say Al-Adeeni’s post reflects a continuation of long-standing patterns of incitement and takfir rhetoric that have, over the years, contributed to hostile environments for journalists and women, as well as attempts to impose ideological control over the media landscape.
They emphasize that weaponizing religion in political disputes is among the most dangerous forms of extremism threatening social peace and freedom of expression.

Growing demands to confront this extremist rhetoric

Rights advocates and media organizations have intensified their calls to condemn such hardline rhetoric, which reproduces the language of ideological violence and religious bullying. They stress the need to protect journalists — particularly women — from smear campaigns and incitement.
Human rights experts underscore that safeguarding pluralism and protecting media freedoms are fundamental pillars of a modern state and essential components of any civil society.

This incident highlights the increasing risks faced by women in the Yemeni media sector and the rise of extremist religious discourse seeking to control what women may or may not wear or say.
The NCHRDD affirms that countering such rhetoric is a collective responsibility  one that begins with official institutions and extends to all components of civil society.