An abductee has died in Houthi militia prisons, succumbing to the brutal torture he endured in a secret detention facility located in the Al-Huban area, east of Taiz. This tragic incident highlights ongoing human rights violations in Yemen.
Details of the Incident
According to human rights sources, the victim, Ahmad Taher Al-Sharabi, died while being held in one of the buildings in the Al-Saleh city, which the Houthis converted into a large prison for those opposing their agenda or criticizing their human rights abuses.
Government Condemnation
The Yemeni government condemned this act as “atrocious,” adding it to the long list of violations and crimes against humanity committed by the Houthi group. Officials argue that this incident reflects the militia’s brutal nature and their blatant disregard for human rights and legal standards.
Minister of Information Muammar Al-Eryani stated that the Houthis had abducted Al-Sharabi and held him in inhumane conditions. On December 11, his family received a call to collect his body following his death due to torture.
Ongoing Human Rights Violations
Al-Eryani emphasized that this brutal act illustrates the Houthis’ indifference to the lives of Yemenis. He reminded the public of the ongoing plight of thousands of detainees and forcibly disappeared individuals in Houthi prisons, including women and children.
Government reports documented over 350 cases of deaths due to torture within Houthi prisons out of 1,635 torture cases. Additionally, human rights organizations recorded 32 instances of extrajudicial killings, while others died by suicide to escape the harsh conditions of torture. Thirty-one individuals succumbed to medical neglect. These statistics reveal the systemic violence the militia inflicts on detainees and the suffering they endure.
The Use of Prisons as a Tool of Terror
The militia employs detention facilities as instruments of intimidation against civil society, seeking to silence dissenting voices. Detainees face collective torture and are subjected to severe methods aimed at breaking their will, instilling fear among civilians.
Call for International Action
Al-Eryani urged the international community, the United Nations, and human rights organizations to break their “shameful silence” and condemn the Houthi’s brutal crimes, which constitute a blatant violation of international humanitarian law. He called for genuine pressure on the Houthi militia to release all detainees and forcibly disappeared individuals unconditionally. Furthermore, he advocated for strict sanctions against the group’s leaders and their classification as a global terrorist organization.
This incident underscores the urgent need for global attention and action regarding human rights abuses in Yemen, particularly against those who oppose the Houthi regime.
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