Aden (AFP)
Hundreds of people participated in Aden, Yemen, on Thursday in the funeral of Nabil al-Quaety, videographer working with AFP for five years, shot dead outside his home by unidentified gunmen who fled.
During the funeral, the crowd chanted slogans in favor of freedom of expression in the country at war, praising the talent of this Yemeni videographer who died at 34 years of age.
Nabil al-Quaety, who also worked with regional media, leaves behind young children and a pregnant woman.
"Today, we say goodbye to one of Aden's bravest journalists," said one of his colleagues, Mansour Saleh.
Flags of the former People's Republic of Yemen, which was before 1990 an independent state in the south, were displayed during the funeral to remind Nabil al-Quaety's personal commitment to the autonomy of this region.
But, in his collaboration with the media, Nabil al-Quaety was "a simple journalist who covered what was happening on the ground," one of his brothers, Marwan, told AFP.
The attack that cost him his life on Tuesday was condemned by the Yemeni government, the separatists who control Aden, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and Unesco, the United Nations agency for culture.
The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists has called for an investigation.
AFP news director Phil Chetwynd said on Wednesday the agency was "in shock" after "the senseless murder of a brave journalist who did his job despite threats and intimidation".
"Everyone's thoughts at AFP today go to his wife and children," he added.
© 2020 AFP