Women Journalists Without Chains has documented the assassination of prominent Yemeni educator and member of the Yemeni Congregation for Reform (Islah), Dr. Abdulrahman Abdulwahab Qassem Al-Suhaibi, known as “Al-Shaer,” who was shot dead by unidentified gunmen on Saturday morning in the city of Aden.

According to field information collected from multiple sources, Dr. Al-Shaer—Chairman of the Board of Al-Nawras Private Schools—was en route to the school’s branch in the Kabota area of Al-Mansoura district to attend a student event focused on robotics and artificial intelligence. At approximately 9:20 a.m., shortly after arriving at the location and parking his vehicle, he was directly targeted by armed assailants who had reportedly positioned themselves in advance.

The gunmen opened fire at close range, striking him with multiple fatal gunshots to the chest and head, killing him instantly. The perpetrators fled the scene to an unknown destination. Civilians attempted to transport him to Al-Salam Hospital near the site of the attack, but he had already succumbed to his injuries before arrival.

This incident took place in the immediate vicinity of an educational institution, highlighting the increasing exposure of civilian and educational spaces to acts of lethal violence.

Women Journalists Without Chains strongly condemns this assassination, considering it a grave violation of the right to life and a direct assault on public safety and social stability. The organization warns that this crime reflects alarming indicators of a resurgence in targeted killings in Aden, in a context marked by deteriorating security conditions, weak law enforcement, and the continued collapse of effective judicial accountability.

The organization emphasizes that the targeting of an educator within the surroundings of a school constitutes a flagrant violation of humanitarian norms and protections afforded to civilians, and represents a direct attack on the sanctity of educational spaces. It further underscores that such acts contribute to spreading fear within society and undermining the role of civic and educational actors.

Women Journalists Without Chains notes that this crime recalls a broader pattern of assassinations previously documented in Aden, where dozens of civilians—including political, social, religious, and educational figures—were targeted in systematic attacks, many of which have not been subject to credible investigation or accountability.

The organization stresses that the continued occurrence of such crimes, in the absence of prompt, independent, and effective investigations, constitutes a failure to uphold the state’s obligations to protect the right to life and ensure justice, and contributes to the entrenchment of impunity and the erosion of the rule of law.

Women Journalists Without Chains calls on the competent authorities to:

• Initiate an immediate, independent, transparent, and impartial criminal investigation into the assassination, in line with international standards governing unlawful killings;
• Ensure the identification and prosecution of all those responsible, including individuals involved in planning, facilitation, or command responsibility;
• Reopen and comprehensively investigate previous assassination cases in Aden that have not resulted in accountability;
• Adopt urgent and effective measures to protect civilians and vital public spaces, particularly educational institutions;
• Provide protection for witnesses and individuals cooperating with investigations, ensuring they are not subjected to threats or retaliation.

Women Journalists Without Chains holds the relevant security and judicial authorities responsible for the ongoing deterioration of the security situation and the persistence of impunity, and urges immediate and decisive action to prevent further violence and restore public confidence in justice institutions.