Houthi Militias Commit 3,665 Serious Violations Against Civilians, Reports Yemeni Rights Network

The Yemeni Network for Rights and Freedoms has documented 3,665 serious violations against civilians committed by Houthi militias, backed by the Iranian regime, in areas under their control during 2025 and the first half of 2026. This alarming information comes from a human rights report titled “Houthi Militias Transform Their Controlled Areas into Hotbeds of Crime and Systematic Violations.”

Types of Violations

The report details various forms of violations, including murder, torture, enforced disappearance, mutilation, sexual violence, and rape. These acts qualify as war crimes and crimes against humanity. The field team of the network recorded 486 extrajudicial killings and 284 injuries. Additionally, they documented 18 incidents of home bombings, 1,974 cases of raids and looting, and 432 cases of abduction and enforced disappearance, which included women, children, and the elderly. The provinces of Ibb, the Capital Secretariat, and Al Hudaydah topped the list for the highest number of recorded violations.

Torture and Mistreatment

The network received 574 reports from families of detainees, indicating that their loved ones faced torture and mistreatment in Houthi prisons. The report highlights the conversion of government buildings into detention centers where various forms of abuse occur. It documented a staggering 31,421 criminal offenses in Houthi-controlled areas, including 22,458 thefts and 547 cases labeled as “counterfeiting currency,” along with 9,567 instances of land grabbing.

Monopoly on Oil Products

The report also reveals that the militias monopolized oil products, reselling them on the black market at prices up to ten times their actual value. This practice has halted thousands of economic activities, disrupted agricultural water pumps, diminished fishing operations, and led to the closure of companies and layoffs. Consequently, food prices have surged due to increased transportation costs.

Targeting Journalists and Activists

The report documented widespread campaigns of harassment and arrest targeting journalists, media personnel, and human rights activists. These actions forced many to flee Houthi-controlled areas, resulting in a near-total absence of independent media. Documentation now relies on observers who operate in secrecy amidst life-threatening risks. Additionally, the report noted the looting of civil society organization offices, with some being repurposed as detention centers. Humanitarian organizations have also been exploited as fronts for seizing aid.

Rising Crime Rates

The report confirms a 68% increase in crime rates in Houthi-controlled areas over the past year and a half. The rise in murder, theft, looting, and armed robbery reflects a disturbing trend, transforming these regions into fertile grounds for crime and organized corruption, with a prevailing culture of impunity.

The network concluded its report by asserting that provinces under Houthi control have become disaster zones resembling ghost towns. Residents live in constant fear and insecurity, exacerbated by the absence of the rule of law and ongoing violations that worsen the humanitarian crisis and deepen the social and security deterioration affecting millions of civilians.

For further details, visit the original report on Yemen TV.

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