Contributing to the Release of 208 Victims of Enforced Disappearance and Arbitrary Detention
Mwatana for Human Rights announced that it provided legal support through its field lawyers to 810 victims of arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, and torture, contributing to the release of 208 of them in the first half of 2024.
Mwatana's legal support, delivered through its team of field lawyers, was extended to 381 victims detained by the Ansar Allah (Houthi) group, 203 victims by the Southern Transitional Council, 190 victims by the internationally recognized government forces, 31 victims by the Saudi/UAE-led coalition forces, three victims by the Joint Forces on the western coast, and one victim by individuals without authority.
In the first half of 2024, Mwatana documented 393 incidents of arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, torture, and killing. The Ansar Allah (Houthi) group is responsible for 189 incidents, the Southern Transitional Council for 104 incidents, the internationally recognized government forces for 90 incidents, the Joint Forces on the western coast for 6 incidents, and the Saudi/UAE-led coalition forces and individuals without authority for two incidents each.
Mwatana’s documentation and legal support for victims of arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, and torture indicate that the number of violations in Yemen is not decreasing. On the contrary, the year 2024 has seen an increase in the number of victims that Mwatana assists compared to the previous year. In the first half of 2023, Mwatana provided legal support to 651 victims, whereas in the first half of 2024, the organization provided legal support to 810 victims.
Radhya Al-Mutawakel, Chairperson of Mwatana for Human Rights, remarked, "While the world may think the war in Yemen is over due to the cessation of airstrikes and military attacks on many fronts, parties to the conflict have turned the civil society into another battlefield for committing further human rights violations, extinguishing any glimmer of hope for a forthcoming peace."
The first half of 2024 witnessed various events that made addressing human rights violations in Yemen even more challenging, as the economic and political conflicts among the warring parties intensified. This led to an increase in the use of civic space for intimidation and terror, where parties to the conflict committed more violations. The Ansar Allah (Houthi) group topped the list of parties practicing arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance, while the Southern Transitional Council competed with the Ansar Allah (Houthi) group in practicing torture.
In June 2024, several unjust death sentences were issued against Yemeni civilians, including Adnan Al-Harazi, CEO of Prodji Company, amidst illegal procedures and trials that lacked the minimum standards of a fair trial. The same month saw a campaign of arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance targeting employees of international NGOs, civil society organizations, and diplomatic missions, as part of a systematic policy of intimidation practiced by the Ansar Allah (Houthi) group.
It is noteworthy that Mwatana for Human Rights provides legal support through a network of lawyers across Yemen to victims of arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, and torture perpetrated by various parties. The organization works closely with the victims' families or on their behalf, after meticulously documenting all information about the victims and incidents, and based on informed consent from the victims or their families.
The efforts of Mwatana’s legal support team focus on ensuring procedural justice for all individuals who come into contact with law enforcement agencies or are detained by armed groups that have become de facto authorities. Their aim is to guarantee that these individuals enjoy all their rights from the moment of detention, through the phases of interrogation and defense, the location and conditions of their detention, and culminating in their trial.
