The Iran-backed Houthi militias in Yemen are planning to shut down local media outlets and websites, well-informed sources revealed on Tuesday. “They will be carrying out a series of fresh oppressive measures to stifle dissent growing in areas under their control,” they said. Houthis are stripping media bodies in Sanaa, the militias’ current stronghold, and censoring content available online with the goal of brushing their atrocities under the carpet. Houthis have been running a shadow state with jurisdiction in areas under their control. The self-proclaimed ministry of information has been particularly contentious for the sectarian militia. Towards the end of 2018, the Houthi minister of information Abdul-Salam Ali Jaber left his post after calling out the militias for trying to turn the Yemeni people into a submissive society. Militants warned owners of newspapers, magazines and other media services that they need to report to the ministry within 30 days or face maximum penalties. The Houthi crackdown on partisan and civil media has already transformed formerly moderate platforms into sectarian podiums preaching Khomeini-inspired propaganda. The militias have also imposed arbitrary restrictions on foreign correspondents and international newspapers. A number of international media correspondents, despite having obtained prior permits, have been detained over filming and documenting the human rights violations carried out by the group inside Sanaa. Apart from affiliated propaganda sites, Houthis have blocked nearly all neutral and foreign forms of online media and highly censored the Internet connection it allows Yemenis in their areas to access. According to local reports, the pro-Iran group has been holding some 13 journalists captive for four years over cranked up charges of national treason. Western reports documented multiple accounts of Houthi militias employing Iran-made spyware to regulate online content and record phone conversations of unwitting politicians and activists. Houthis are also accused on assembling a specialized team of hackers to actively target social networking accounts. Amnesty International on Wednesday condemned the prolonged detention of 10 journalists by the Houthis, saying it reflected "the dire state of media freedom" in the war-torn country. The 10 journalists have been held since the summer of 2015 and are being prosecuted on trumped-up spying charges, according to the rights group, according to AFP. It said the men have been tortured, held incommunicado and deprived of medical care. "The unlawful and prolonged detention, torture and other ill-treatment of these 10 journalists is a shocking reminder of the repressive media climate facing journalists in Yemen and illustrates the risks they face at the hands of all parties to the conflict," said Rasha Mohamed, Amnestys Yemen researcher.