The family of journalist Mohammed Al-Muqri has followed the statement attributed to Al-Qaeda, which was circulated in the media on December 27, 2024. The statement claims that the group executed 11 of their detainees, including our son, journalist Mohammed Al-Muqri, who has been held captive since October 12, 2015, in the city of Mukalla by the group's members during their occupation of the Hadhramaut coast.

We, the family of journalist Mohammed Al-Muqri, strongly doubt the validity of this statement for the following reasons:

1. Lack of Video Evidence of Confessions and Trial: The group has regularly released video recordings showing confessions from detainees and their trials, typically after executions to justify their actions. Some of their media releases even include clips from trials where detainees admit to the charges brought against them by the group. This has not been the case with Mohammed Al-Muqri, who has been missing for nearly ten years without any such footage. This raises further questions about his fate.

2. Absence of Reliable Information on Other Names Mentioned in the Statement: We have observed that there is no news record or information available online about most of the names mentioned in the statement, nor about their abduction dates, except for two individuals. This casts additional doubt on the validity of the entire statement. Anyone can verify this by conducting an online search on the names listed in the statement.

3. The Charges Against Our Son: The accusation against our son, journalist Mohammed Al-Muqri, as stated in the alleged statement—being a "spy for national security"—does not provide a legitimate reason for his abduction, enforced disappearance, and the denial of contact with his family for ten years, during which all accounts confirm he was subjected to physical and psychological torture, leading to his alleged execution. This raises doubts about whether he was truly tried or executed. The group has consistently claimed in its media releases that it does not engage in such practices and asserts its commitment to swiftly resolving cases to avoid accusations of being like the oppressive government it condemns.

Therefore, we affirm the following:

1. Refusal of Any Condolences: We categorically refuse to accept any condolences for the death of our son, journalist Mohammed Al-Muqri. We consider him to be alive and still in captivity, forcibly disappeared by the group.

2. Accountability of Al-Qaeda: We hold Al-Qaeda fully responsible for the life and safety of our son, Mohammed Al-Muqri, and his fate. We call on them to prove the authenticity of their claims by releasing a video showing his full confession and trial, if they are truthful in the statement attributed to them. If the statement did not actually come from them, they must issue a denial and clarify the truth. In either case, we hold the group solely responsible for our son's fate.

3. Appeal to Relevant Authorities and Human Rights Organizations: We call on all relevant authorities and local and international human rights organizations to exert pressure to uncover the fate of our son, Mohammed Al-Muqri, and the other detainees held by the group. We ask them to stand with us in this humanitarian cause, which has caused suffering for ten years, not only for Mohammed's children but also for his mother, siblings, wives, children, and all his family members.

As a family that has endured the pain of loss and absence for nearly ten years, we refuse to accept that our son's fate remains uncertain amid suspicious statements. We condemn and denounce the criminal act of Al-Qaeda for not disproving the statement, which may not have been issued by them. We also condemn and denounce their crime if they indeed executed and murdered our son in this brutal manner without publishing any evidence or confessions to incriminate him. We are committed to pursuing every means to uncover the truth and achieve justice until we know the fate of our abducted son.

The Family of Journalist Mohammed Qaid Al-Muqri January 2, 2025