A/HRC/24/34 torture and ill-treatment received while in the National Security Prison26 and about the fact that they had been detained for two years without trial. 30. In March 2013, OHCHR-Yemen visited Aden Central Prison, which held 785 prisoners, despite a maximum capacity of 300. Thirty-seven detainees were detained without court order or proper documentation. Among them, three members of Al Hirak were detained in relation to the 21 February 2013 demonstration, accused of incitement to violence. Twenty-five other detainees had been arrested by the Political Security on charges of being Al-Qaida members. The Director of the prison admitted that there were more detainees without proper documentation, arrested by either Central Security Forces or Political Security without a court order. He also admitted that the prison did not have a physician who could visit the prisoners and examine them for signs of torture or perform medical check-ups. 31. OHCHR-Yemen raised these issues with the Minister of Interior in April 2013. The Minister agreed that prison conditions were not in line with international standards and asserted that the Ministry did not have the required budget to improve the situation. However, the Minister undertook to consider the cases of prolonged detention; those detained without arrest warrants, as well as the cases of the 17 disappeared individuals. C. Freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association 32. Peaceful demonstrations and sit-ins by various groups have continued to be held throughout Yemen. In southern Yemen, some demonstrations have been repressed with force by Government security forces. As verified by OHCHR-Yemen, at least 10 persons were shot dead and many more wounded during a pro-south independence demonstration on 21 February 2013. Since then, the southern pro-independence movement Al Hirak has been calling for bi-weekly strikes and frequent demonstrations in southern cities. 33. Despite some improvements, the situation of the media and journalists remains of concern. OHCHR-Yemen recorded approximately 60 cases of threat and physical attacks on journalists by security forces and various armed groups during the reporting period, including assassination attempts and assassinations.27 No meaningful efforts have been taken by the Government to bring the perpetrators to justice, despite repeated calls for action by journalists and human rights activists. In addition, the local NGO Freedom Foundation, working on monitoring freedom of the press, recorded more than 15 cases brought against journalists at the Press Court since the beginning of 2013.28 Since 2010, the Audiovisual Media Law has been under consideration by the Cabinet.29 The law has been criticized by local NGOs for not being in line with international standards. No development was recorded during the reporting period. 34. Abdul Elah Haidar Shayi, a journalist sentenced in 2011 to five years’ imprisonment on terror-related charges, has yet to be released. His trial has been strongly criticized by local and international human rights organizations for having fallen short of minimum fair 26 27 28 29 10 Prisoners interviewed also affirmed that they had been subjected to ill-treatment while being detained at the Political Security and the Presidential House. For instance, Wadoud Ali Saleh al-Someti, killed in Aden in February 2013, allegedly by Government Defence Forces. Despite several requests for amendments and the instruction provided by former President Saleh in 2006 to abolish those provisions, the 1991 Press and Publication Law provides for the imprisonment of journalists. According to the information received, the same version of the law has been submitted for the Cabinet’s consideration several times since 2010.