Information Minister condemns Houthi militia for kidnapping party leaders over calls to commemorate September 26 Revolution.

Crackdown on Political Dissent

Yemen’s Minister of Information, Culture, and Tourism, Muammar al-Eryani, has vehemently condemned the Houthi militia’s recent actions in Sanaa, the nation’s capital currently under their control. The Iran-backed Houthi group forcefully entered the homes of several leaders and members of the General People’s Congress, including Sheikh Amin Rajeh, Dr. Sa’id al-Ghalisi, Sheikh Ali Thabet Harmal, Professor Ahmad Abdullah al-Ashari, and Nayef al-Najjar, abducting them to an undisclosed location. This aggressive move was in response to their calls to celebrate the 62nd National Day of the 26th of September Revolution.

Escalation of Hostilities

In a press statement, al-Eryani highlighted that this alarming escalation follows a series of abductions targeting journalists, civil society activists, and media personnel, such as Radad al-Hudhaifi and Sahar al-Kholani. The Houthi’s so-called “security and intelligence” agency has also summoned social media activists for interrogation, threatening them with elimination, arrest, and torture for promoting the celebration of the national holiday.

Suppression Campaigns

Al-Eryani pointed out that the Houthi militia has intensified its campaigns of repression and persecution against political leaders, civilians, journalists, media professionals, human rights activists, unionists, and activists in areas under its forced control. The goal is to terrorize them, prevent the dissemination of truth to the public, and deter them from advocating for people’s issues and demands, constituting a criminal act and a blatant violation of international humanitarian law.

International Call to Action

The minister has called on the international community, the United Nations, the UN Special Envoy, and human rights organizations to condemn these criminal practices. He urged them to pressure the Houthi militia to release the abducted individuals and all those detained against their will due to their political and media activities immediately and unconditionally. Furthermore, al-Eryani advocated for the classification of the Houthi militia as a “global terrorist organization.”

This situation underscores the ongoing struggle for freedom and human rights in Yemen, highlighting the need for international intervention to restore peace and justice in the region.

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