Subject

Immigrants

Since the outbreak of the ongoing armed conflict in Yemen in late 2014, Mwatana for Human Rights has documented dozens of incidents of violations against migrants committed by parties to the conflict and smuggling and human trafficking gangs in various Yemeni governorates. Although the protection of persons, including migrants, is codified in human rights instruments, these instruments are often not accompanied by the implementation mechanisms necessary to protect and assist migrants. Many migrants in the context of migration while crossing from Yemen are subject to several violations, including direct violations such as live bullets, sexual violence, arbitrary arrest and detention, torture, forced recruitment, denial of humanitarian access, extortion and financial exploitation, and forced deportation, as well as indirect violations like air strikes, ground shelling, mines and explosive objects, and being run over by military vehicles. By “Attacks on migrants”, we mean the deliberate use of actual or threatening force, which either results in or has a high probability of causing death, injury, mental harm, exploitation, or inhumane treatment of a migrant person. It is an inappropriate act by a person in a position of actual or relative authority, causing harm to migrants, who often have limited ability to avoid, resist, cope, or recover. Therefore, migrants need support to enforce their rights and obtain protection from states or other mandated actors.