A/HRC/45/CRP.7 324. After the STC declared self-rule over the south on 25 April 2020, the STC Major General Ahmed Saeed bin Breik issued an instruction to the Chief of Security of the Capital Aden stating, inter alia, that: the “interests of our great southern people are not a subject for mockery and gossip on social media and other means. Hence, anyone who is proved to be involved in broadcasting propaganda and disturbing public tranquility shall be charged with a fine of one million riyals and imprisonment for a period of six months”.487 Since the issuance of this instruction, several threats and attacks against journalists in Aden were publicly reported. The Group investigated three cases of attacks by the STC against journalists and media workers, who were threatened and harassed due to their publications critical of the STC administration and the absence of basic services in Aden, and/or their public denunciations of violations of rights by STC-affiliated officials. Human rights defenders “The international community has not paid enough attention to activists and the dangers that they face.” Threatened human rights defender488 325. The Group uses the term human rights defenders to describe persons who, individually or with others, act to promote or protect human rights.489 As a category, it is not restricted to persons coming from a particular occupational group, but may include, for instance, staff of a human rights organisation, a national human rights institution, journalists reporting on human rights issues, lawyers working on human rights cases or doctors treating victims of violations. 326. The Group of Experts investigated cases of attacks against human rights activists, NGO workers and lawyers defending victims’ rights who were threatened, intimidated, harassed and/or detained for their legitimate work by the de facto authorities, the Government of Yemen, and coalition forces. “You have no idea how many difficulties we face in the field, all of us who are monitoring violations, writing and submitting reports". Formerly detained woman working in a human rights NGO490 327. The Group investigated, for example, the case of one of the former lawyers of the Baha’i detainees. He went missing in March 2020, and only one and a half months later, his family was informed of his detention by the Houthis at the Security and Intelligence detention centre in Sana’a. His work defending the rights of Baha’is was allegedly the reason for his arbitrary detention. Despite a request for access from the Specialized Criminal Prosecution, the victim was not seen by the Prosecutor, nor was he charged with any offence.491 The Yemeni Bar Association was very vocal in advocating for his release.492 He was released at the end of July 2020. 328. Another lawyer and human rights activist reported to the Group being arbitrarily detained three times for several hours each by Government of Yemen authorities at the Ma’rib Security Department and having been followed on different occasions in the street by armed men dressed in civilian clothing on motorbikes. He informed the Group that the Ma’rib Security Department was accusing him of “writing against the state's leadership and describing the Minister of Defence as a corrupt person”.493 329. The Group investigated allegations of threats, intimidation, and attacks against human rights defenders in the Ta‘izz Governorate, in areas under the control of the Government of Yemen. In one case, a human rights defender was forced to leave the governorate due to a threat to his life when the car he was in was shot at in May 2019. He considers the attacks 487 Confidential source on file. Confidential Source on file. 489 See the Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognised Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, adopted by General Assembly resolution 53/144 (adopted 9 December 1998). 490 Confidential source on file. 491 Confidential source on file. 492 Documents on file. 493 Confidential source on file. 488 82