The Yemeni Journalists Syndicate has condemned Hani Bin Brik, vice president of the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC), who accused journalists in Yemen’s interim capital of Aden of treason.

"Betrayal is not a point of view,” Bin Brik said in a video clip posted to his Twitter account on Monday. In the video, Bin Brik attacked critics of the  STC, calling them "media trumpets,” describing reports about violations by the UAE-backed secessionist group as "lying, forgery and fabrication."

In a statement emailed to Almasdar Online, the journalists syndicate condemned Bin Brik’s remarks and all forms of incitement against journalists who are easy targets in the war. The union stressed the need to protect the press and provide a safe environment for the free and responsible practice of journalism.

"All conflicting parties should stop campaigning against journalists who have become victims in this war," the statement said.

Yemen's media landscape has become increasingly polarized during the five year war.

The Yemeni Media Freedom Observatory (YMFO) documented 143 violations against journalists and media organizations in Yemen in 2019. Houthis topped the list with 75 violations. Yemeni government parties were behind 37 of the violations and the STC was named as the perpetrator in seven cases. 

Bin Brik’s Twitter post comes amid daily clashes between forces loyal to the internationally recognized government and the STC, which has pushed for secession since it was founded in 2017. When STC forces ejected the army from Aden in a military coup in August and proceeded to overtake surrounding governorates, Saudi Arabia intervened. 

The Riyadh agreement, which emerged from Saudi-led peace negotiations in early November, seeks to merge the STC and its forces into the government of President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi. Implementation of the deal has stalled amid ongoing fighting between the two groups.