"A victim abandoned by justice and a family left without a caregiver."
Khaled Ahmed (20 years old, a pseudonym) from the Al-Shamaytin district in Taiz governorate had a routine of setting out early in the morning with the first light of dawn, seeking to alleviate the hardships faced by his family amidst their state of poverty and deprivation. Their sole means of livelihood relied on the earnings Khaled made from collecting and selling prickly pears in the market. Nevertheless, he tragically fell victim to enforced disappearance in the shadows of justice's absence.
Khaled's mother, recounting the harrowing tale to Mwatana for Human Rights, narrates the story from its inception, recalling: "At eleven in the afternoon on July 18, 2023, Khaled was in the Al-Hadharem neighborhood, gathering prickly pears for sale at the market, when a military-colored vehicle abruptly halted beside him. A civilian-clad individual and three armed men dressed in black and brown military garb emerged from the vehicle. They approached him and whisked him away to the Al-Shamaytin Security Administration, shrouded in an aura of mystery and fear."
The mother continued, "Witnesses of my son's apprehension informed me that he was taken into custody and escorted to the Al-Shamaytin Security Administration. The subsequent day, I hastened to the Security Administration in search of my son and to ascertain the grounds for his detention. There, I encountered the deputy security director, who remained reticent about the cause and merely stated that Khaled's detainment was sanctioned by the commander of the Fourth Mountain Infantry Brigade aligned with the internationally recognized government forces. On the ensuing day, I proceeded to the military intelligence headquarters within the brigade, where I was informed that my son stood accused of espionage for the Houthi Ansar Allah group. The allegation struck me with disbelief, for I knew my son's character and his innocence of such charges."
In a heart-wrenching testimony, Khaled's mother poured out her anguish, revealing, "Khaled was held captive at the Al-Shamaytin Security Administration for a fortnight, during which fleeting visits were permitted. I diligently brought him sustenance, comforting drinks, and fresh attire. But when they whisked him away to the confines of the Fourth Mountain Infantry Brigade prison in Taor Al-Baha, Lahij, my beloved son was cruelly hidden from my desperate gaze, and access to him was callously denied." With tears glistening in her eyes, the sorrowful mother continued, "Embarking on a grueling journey across treacherous terrains from Taiz to Lahij, I reached the imposing gates of the Fourth Brigade in Tur Al-Baha, only to be barred from embracing my detained child. This heart-wrenching ordeal repeated itself twice, each instance deepening my turmoil and fear for his welfare."
With a heart weighed down by sorrow, the mother of the victim poured out her lament, "Our days are enveloped in the darkness of severe economic struggles. His father grapples with an unyielding mental torment, relying on a steady stream of medications. Khaled, our family's guiding light, now dwells in the depths of enforced disappearance. I carry the heavy burden of his absence, compounded by the ceaseless demands of running the household and tending to my ailing spouse with unwavering devotion."
From the fateful day of Khaled's apprehension on July 18, 2023, followed by his haunting disappearance, the veil of justice has yet to be lifted. Despite the deepening anguish of his kin, the mother's fervent appeals for his visitation and impassioned pleas to the authorities for his release have all been met with a resounding silence. The specter of enforced disappearance continues to cast its long shadow over Khaled, his shattered family, and all who hold him dear, a harrowing testament to the enduring pain of their unanswered cries for justice.
It is paramount for the Attorney General in Aden, the Southern Transitional Council, the Presidential Council, the internationally recognized government, and the Saudi and Emirati-led coalition to reveal the whereabouts of all those who have been forcibly disappeared. They must bring an end to the abhorrent practice of enforced disappearance that continues to inflict untold suffering upon the victims, their families, and their cherished ones. It is crucial to secure their release, provide them with the restitution they deserve, and deliver justice. Furthermore, it is essential to eradicate all instances of enforced disappearance in Aden governorate and across all Yemeni territories under the jurisdiction of the Southern Transitional Council, the Presidential Council, the internationally recognized government, and the coalition forces under the leadership of Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
