A/HRC/42/CRP.1 information on Houthi violations, expressed almost unanimously their fear of reprisals when contacted by Group of Experts. Individuals appeared to have been detained simply for expressing reservations about Houthi policies878 or posting material on social media that criticized the Houthis.879 Additionally, media organizations continued to face restrictions and harassment by the Houthis when covering the conflict. Furthermore, human rights defenders, including prominent NGOs and UN representatives were obstructed and even arrested for doing their work. For protection reasons, the Group of Experts will not provide details on the cases it investigated. (b) Yemeni armed forces and affiliated UAE-backed armed groups 578. During 2018 and through 2019, the Yemeni armed forces and affiliated UAE-backed armed groups also took measures to ensure that press coverage of the conflict was minimal by harassing media representatives and obstructing their access to the area. 880 For example, a TV Network based in Aden reported severe restrictions in any area under the control of UAE-backed forces in the Western Coast. The TV station was prevented from covering the battle of al-Hudaydah by the Security Belt when it attempted to deploy Aden-based staff to the western coast. Its staff were told to leave or face arrest and detention. 881 (c) Violations 579. On the basis of the evidence collected and reviewed, the Group of Experts finds reasonable grounds to believe that the de facto authorities and the Government of Yemen are responsible, in al-Hudaydah, for severe restrictions on freedom of expression in violation of their human rights obligations applicable to the territory under their control. Freedom of expression may be restricted, but only as provided by the law and as necessary for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others, as well as for the protection of national security, public safety, order, health or morals.882 These conditions do not appear to have been fulfilled in the cases examined by the Group of Experts. 5. Arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, torture, and ill-treatment (a) De facto authorities 580. The Group of Experts investigated 17 cases 883 of detention by the de facto authorities in the context of the fighting in the al-Hudaydah governorate. In addition, the Group followed up on previously received information on disappearances and torture carried out by the de facto authorities in the governorate. 884 581. The detention situation in the governorate during the fighting followed general patterns previously documented in de facto authority detention facilities in al-Hudaydah and in other parts of the country. The situation was worsened by a sense of chaos related to the detainees’ transfer out of and within al-Hudaydah during the fighting and by the increasingly arbitrary reasons for detention, which seemed to be related to efforts by the Houthis to tighten their grip on the civilian population during the conflict. 878 Confidential Sources on File. Confidential Sources on File. 880 The coalition continues to impede the work of international media and human rights organizations. Since at least early 2017, the coalition, which clears United Nations flight manifests into Yemen, has not allowed human rights organisations or media to fly on UN flights, implementing a rule that UNHAS flights are only for UN staff and humanitarian organisations. Consequently, human rights INGOs and international journalists only have the option to take commercial flights to governmentcontrolled areas and then travel by car to other parts of Yemen, including those under the control of the Houthis. Given the insecure nature of the roads, this measure by the coalition impedes meaningful international monitoring of the situation in Yemen. 881 Confidential Source on File. 882 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, arts. 19; see also Human Rights Committee general comment No. 34, paras. 21–36. 883 Confidential Sources on File. 884 Confidential Sources on File. 879 140