The Minister of Information condemns the Houthi militia’s torture and killing of educator Mohammed Khamash in one of their prisons.

 

Outrage Over Brutal Treatment of Educator

The Minister of Information, Culture, and Tourism, Muammar Al-Eryani, has strongly condemned the execution of educational expert Mohammed Naji Khamash by the Iran-backed Houthi militia. Khamash, who served as the Director General of Basic and Secondary Education at the Ministry of Education, died in a detention facility known as the “Security and Intelligence Agency.” Authorities reported that he suffered torture and neglect during his five-month abduction, marking yet another heinous crime in the Houthis’ extensive record of violations.

Targeting Educational Leaders

In a press statement, Al-Eryani highlighted that Khamash’s murder fits into a disturbing pattern of kidnappings targeting senior officials within the Ministry of Education. Numerous employees from international and local organizations have also faced similar fates. The Houthis have shown blatant disregard for the victims’ academic and health status, continuing their systematic campaign of violence against Yemenis. Al-Eryani asserted that those responsible for these crimes will eventually face justice.

Recent Abductions and Murders

Al-Eryani pointed out that the Houthi-controlled “Security and Intelligence Agency” previously kidnapped educator Sabri Abdullah Al-Hakimi, the Director General of Training at the Ministry of Education. After enduring six months of enforced disappearance, Al-Hakimi returned to his family as a corpse on March 25. In October 2023, the Houthis executed Hisham Al-Hakimi, an employee of Save the Children, after torturing him for nearly two months post-abduction.

Continued Violations Against Educators

The minister further reported that on October 12, 2023, the Houthis abducted Dr. Mohammed Hatem Al-Makhlafi, a strategic expert in public education and literacy in Yemen. Al-Makhlafi, who is 65 years old, is a faculty member and former dean at several colleges of education at Sana’a University. Additionally, they kidnapped educational expert Mujeeb Mahyoub Daban Al-Makhlafi, 52, on October 10, 2023, accusing him of espionage.

Widespread Human Rights Violations

The Ministry of Human Rights has documented over 350 cases of death due to torture among a total of 1,635 individuals subjected to torture in Houthi detention centers. Human rights organizations have also confirmed the enforced disappearance of 2,406 civilians in these illegal facilities. Tragically, 32 detainees have faced execution, while others have taken their own lives to escape the brutality of torture. Medical neglect has led to 79 recorded deaths among detainees, including 31 fatalities attributed to heart attacks.

Call for International Action

Al-Eryani urged the international community, the United Nations, and its special envoy to Yemen to break their shameful silence. He called for a clear condemnation of these egregious crimes and demanded real pressure on the Houthi militia to release all detainees and reveal the fate of those forcibly disappeared. He also advocated for the immediate classification of the Houthis as a “global terrorist organization” and called for support to help the Yemeni government restore security and stability across the country.

 

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