A/HRC/30/31 individuals continued to be held in pretrial detention in connection with the events. No charges were brought against them nor were they tried during the period under review.13 56. OHCHR received reports indicating that at least 124 people, many believed to be civilians, were detained by the Popular Committees between 3 and 21 November 2014 in unrecognized places of detention, including the Amran Sport Stadium and in private homes throughout Amran Governorate. The circumstances of detention are not known, given that OHCHR was denied access to the detainees. 57. On 7 December 2014, OHCHR was informed by representatives of the Governorate of Amran that about 250 men had been detained by members of the Popular Committees at the Amran sports stadium. According to OHCHR sources, the majority of the detainees were eventually released, with the exception of 18 individuals, who were still in detention at the end of the period under review. The circumstances of detention remain unknown. 58. From 19 January to 19 February 2015, OHCHR documented 145 cases of persons detained by the Popular Committees. Most cases involved detention of anti-Houthi protestors. Witnesses informed OHCHR that they had been held between one and seven days in former government prisons that had been taken over by the Popular Committees in Sana’a, Houdaida, Ibb and Hajjah. Some alleged having been subjected to different forms of ill-treatment, which may amount to torture, at the hands of the Popular Committees in Sana’a. 59. OHCHR also learned that, on 4 February 2015, six students were detained by members of the Popular Committees for organizing peaceful sit-ins organized to call for the withdrawal of the Popular Committees from the student halls of residence in Arhab district (Sana’a Governorate). The students were then reportedly transferred to an unknown location aboard a military vehicle carrying a Houthi slogan. OHCHR has no information on their whereabouts. C. Right to freedom of expression 60. Freedom of expression was considerably undermined and the safety of journalists dramatically deteriorated during the period under review. OHCHR documented dozens of cases of violations of the right to freedom of expression, including incidents where journalists had been subjected to threats and physical attacks. Some of the most salient incidents documented by OHCHR are described below. 61. On 18 September 2014, members of the Popular Committees stormed the State television station in Sana’a and clashed with security guards. The Minister for Information later announced that members of the Popular Committees had seized control of State-run television and of the national news agency Saba. On 22 January 2015, the Popular Committees took control of the Aden State television station and suspended broadcasts. The Popular Committees have exercised complete control over the State television broadcasts since. 62. OHCHR received credible allegations that, from 21 January to 19 February 2015, at least 17 journalists were illegally detained by members of the Popular Committees, eight of whom had been detained repeatedly in previous months. Nine of them informed OHCHR that they had been physically abused, while all but one had been reportedly threatened with a weapon. 13 12 According to OHCHR sources, one of the demonstrators arrested in 2011 was released in July 2013.