International organizations: United Nations employees are subjected to torture in Houthi militia prisons in Sana’a.
- International organizations report severe torture of UN employees in Houthi prisons in Sana'a.
- Eight individuals, including UN staff, face fabricated espionage charges that could lead to execution.
- Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch demand the immediate release of the detainees.
- Detainees' health is deteriorating due to torture, solitary confinement, and lack of medical care.
International organizations Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have confirmed that United Nations employees and international organization staff kidnapped by the Houthi militia in Sana’a face severe torture to extract forced confessions. Some of these individuals now risk execution after the militia referred eight of them to its courts on fabricated espionage charges.
Eight Employees Face Charges Punishable by Death
The statement revealed that since August 18, the militia has prosecuted at least eight individuals working in human rights and humanitarian fields on espionage charges. This group includes:
- Two United Nations employees
- One consultant for the United Nations
- Five workers from international and local organizations
Calls for Immediate Release
The organizations urged for the immediate and unconditional release of the eight individuals facing trial, as well as dozens of other employees kidnapped over the past two years.
Torture, Solitary Confinement, and Severe Health Deterioration
Families of the detainees reported that the captives have been forced to confess under torture or the threat of it, and their health conditions are rapidly deteriorating. Specifically:
- Two detainees suffer from diabetes without adequate medical care.
- One is at risk of developing glaucoma.
- Another detainee has stomach cancer and has been denied family visits.
- One more has contracted hepatitis during detention.
The wife of Dr. Ali Al-Madhawi confirmed that her husband has endured solitary confinement, torture, and severe psychological pressure, with the Houthis attempting to force him to claim that vaccines are tools for espionage.
Systematic Use of Espionage Charges
The statement noted that since 2015, the Houthi militia has employed espionage charges to target political opponents and silence peaceful voices, documenting numerous cases where torture has been used to extract confessions.
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