Alarming Human Rights Violations in Al Hudaydah
The Yemeni Network for Rights and Freedoms has reported a staggering 4,868 violations committed by Houthi militias, backed by the Iranian regime, in Al Hudaydah Governorate during 2025.
Diverse Violations Documented
In a report titled “Al Hudaydah: Human Shields in a Garden of Death,” the network detailed various forms of abuse. These include extrajudicial killings, injuries from shelling and landmines, abductions, enforced disappearances, torture, and executions within prisons. The report also highlighted the use of civilians as human shields, forced recruitment—especially of children—mass displacement, destruction of civilian infrastructure, and looting of public and private properties.
Casualties and Injuries
The report documented 262 killings, including 51 children and 37 women. Additionally, it recorded 225 injuries, with 47 children and 40 women among the victims. Landmines planted by the militias caused approximately 80 deaths, including 19 children and 8 women, and injured 66 civilians, comprising 14 children and 8 women. The districts of Hays, Al Khawkhah, Al Tahita, and Al Durayhimi experienced near-daily shelling from mortars, Katyusha rockets, and artillery, instilling a constant state of fear among the civilian population.
Abductions and Detentions
The report also revealed 2,304 cases of abduction and kidnapping, including 274 instances of enforced disappearance, 38 cases of torture, and 21 cases of using civilians as human shields. Furthermore, it documented 9 executions within prisons and 11 deaths due to medical neglect. The establishment of 72 secret prisons in areas controlled by the militias was also noted.
Attacks on Civilian Infrastructure
The report identified 1,024 violations against civilian properties, affecting 842 homes—either partially or completely damaged. It also included damage to industrial facilities, community institutions, and commercial shops. The network recorded 1,354 instances of home raids, 131 cases of asset confiscation, 23 incidents of house bombings, 9 cases of public bridge explosions, and the theft of 98 private vehicles. Additionally, 64 violations against places of worship were reported, along with the use of Al Hudaydah port for smuggling weapons and contraband.
A Call for International Action
The report emphasizes that Al Hudaydah has become a closed environment where multiple severe violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law occur. These violations reflect a systematic policy rather than isolated incidents. The network urges the international community to take immediate action, ensuring accountability and protecting civilians. It calls for an end to the use of Al Hudaydah as an open military arena at the expense of its residents’ lives.
Demands for Accountability
The Yemeni Network for Rights and Freedoms has called on the international community and the United Nations to pressure Houthi militias to cease violations, release detainees and the forcibly disappeared, impose sanctions on implicated leaders, support demining efforts, and refer serious crimes to relevant UN mechanisms. They also advocate for the establishment of an international database for victims to support transitional justice efforts.
The network warns that continued impunity encourages further violations and deepens civilian suffering. They stress that protecting the residents of Al Hudaydah is not merely a political choice but a legal and moral obligation under international humanitarian law and human rights law.
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