Majed Zayed, a contributor to independent Yemen-based media outlets Nafzet Al-Yemen, Almawqea Post, and Mda Press, was abducted on September 23, 2025, while leaving a medical center in the capital, Sana’a, amid a broader wave of detentions.
The abduction took place two days after Zayed posted a patriotic song celebrating the Yemeni flag ahead of September 26, the anniversary of the founding of the republic — a day that Houthi authorities do not officially recognize as a national day.
The incident occurred as part of a crackdown ahead of the September 26 anniversary, as the Houthi-controlled Ministry of Interior issued a warning about alleged hostile plots aimed at destabilizing the country and inciting discord.
Yemen has been mired in civil war since 2014, when Iranian-backed Houthi rebels ousted the government from the capital Sana’a. In 2015, a Saudi-backed coalition intervened to try and restore the government to power. Journalists face grave threats in areas controlled by both groups.