Mohammed Al-Mekhlafi
Writer and Researcher from Yemen
Ahmed Saif Hashed was born on February 16, 1962, in Al-Qabeita District of Lahj Governorate, formerly part of Taiz. He completed his intermediate, secondary, and university education in the southern part of the country. He is the founder and owner of Al-Mustaqilah Newspaper and Al-Mustaqilah Printing and Publishing House, and he is also the publisher of “Yemenat” news website and “Yemenat” printed newspaper. He serves as an independent member of Parliament and acts as the rapporteur for the Independent Bloc. Additionally, he is a member of the Committee on Public Freedoms and Human Rights in the Parliament.
Ahmed earned his Bachelor of Law from the University of Aden in 1989 and graduated from the Higher Judicial Institute with a three-year program. He holds a postgraduate diploma in International Politics from the Faculty of Commerce at the University of Sana’a, which he completed from 1991 to 1992, and a diploma in Military Sciences from the Military College in Aden, which he attended from 1981 to 1983. He held the position of Head of the Primary Court from July 23, 1997, until February 2003 and has been a member of Parliament since 2003.
In terms of his activities and contributions, he chaired the “Independents for Change” coalition during the 2006 presidential and local elections. He has actively participated in various human rights initiatives and public events, including protests in Sana’a, Taiz, Al-Dha’lae, Lahij, and Aden. Ahmed conducted field visits to numerous prisons and detention centers across several governorates in Yemen to expose crimes and violations of human rights and freedoms, reporting his findings to official authorities. He documented the accounts and suffering of prisoners in illegal detention facilities.
He authored a book titled Madmen of Yemen, which comprises popular dialogues, and completed a documented study titled Political Conflict in Early Islam, which is ready for publication since 1996. Ahmed has contributed various studies, opinions, and writings, both published and unpublished, and engaged in numerous seminars, discussion panels, and workshops. He served as the editor-in-chief of the media newsletter Al-Qabeitah, published by the Charity Cooperation Association, from December 2000 until its closure by the Ministry of Information in October 2004, after producing 49 issues.
In 2008, Ahmed faced a lawsuit from 11 parliamentary members and sought political asylum in Switzerland, where he resided for eight months before withdrawing his request and returning home. He participated in popular protests starting January 16, 2011. Additionally, on March 6, 2013, he received the “Shield of Sacrifice” from the Yemeni Organization for Enhancing Integrity and was honored by the American Islamic Congress for his sacrifices in defending rights and freedoms. In 2013, he was awarded the Excellence Medal for being one of the most influential personalities in the world in the field of peace by the International Council for Human Rights.
Ahmed was selected as a Goodwill Ambassador among the top 20 ambassadors for 2013, recognizing his humanitarian efforts and contributions. He was ranked second among the most effective national figures in combating corruption and enhancing transparency and integrity in 2013, according to an open vote and public survey conducted by Otad Organization for Combating Corruption. He was featured in a documentary film by Transparency International titled An Information Revolution Led by a Yemeni Legislator, which highlights his role in defending the wounded of the revolution and advocating for the right to information.
In 2007, he was awarded the title of “Person of the Year” by Yemen Times, an English-language newspaper. On March 20, 2013, he was recognized by the Yemeni House of Poetry with the first-class Poetic House Medal. Ahmed co-founded the “Civil Alliance for the Youth Revolution” on March 21, 2011, and established the “Peaceful Revolution Rescue Front” in December 2011. He championed the causes of the wounded from peaceful protests during 2012-2013 and founded the May 20 Movement in 2017, serving as its leader while facing numerous acts of repression and persecution by Al- Houthi authorities in Sana’a from 2017 to 2024.
