Provides Legal Support to 1126 Victims of Arbitrary Detention and Enforced Disappearance
Mwatanafor Human Rights reported that in 2024, it provided legal assistance to 1126victims of arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, torture, andextrajudicial killings in areas under the control of various parties to theconflict. The organization contributed to the release of 369 victims ofarbitrary detention and enforced disappearance. It also enabled dozens offamilies to learn the fate of their forcibly disappeared relatives andfacilitated communication between dozens of forcibly disappeared individualsand their families.
Mwatana'steam offered legal support to numerous victims of arbitrary detention campaignslaunched by the Ansar Allah (Houthi) group in Sana’a and other areas undertheir control. These campaigns targeted employees of international and localorganizations, humanitarian workers, and diplomatic missions staff members.Victims also included those detained during a wide-scale arbitrary detentioncampaign by the Ansar Allah (Houthi) group coinciding with Yemeni people’scelebrations of the 62nd anniversary of the September 26, 1962, revolution.These arrests were linked to either celebrating or advocating for thecelebration of the revolution anniversary.
RadhyaAl-Mutawakel, Chairperson of Mwatana for Human Rights, stated:
"Despite the cessation of military operations and thecontinuation of the truce, various parties to the conflict continued in 2024 tocommit acts of arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, and proceduraljustice violations of all forms, all in an environment of complete impunity andlack of accountability."
Sheadded:
"The issue of enforced disappearance and arbitrarydetention remains one of the heaviest burdens of the war. It underminesindividuals' freedoms guaranteed by Yemen's constitution and laws, deepenssocietal fractures, causes prolonged suffering for victims and their families,spreads fear and terror among communities, and robs civilians of their sense ofsafety. It is crucial to put an end to all of this by releasing all thosearbitrarily detained and forcibly disappeared, holding perpetrators accountable,and delivering justice to the victims."
Mwatanaindicated that its legal support was made possible through the efforts of itsLegal Support Unit, which consists of 22 lawyers—men and women—operatingacross 16 governorates under the control of various conflict parties inYemen. The team conducted approximately 896 interviews with survivors,victims’ families, eyewitnesses, and workers in the healthcare and humanitariansectors. These interviews were conducted after obtaining informed consent andexplaining the purpose of documentation. The team also carried out 3095 fieldvisits for legal follow-up, monitoring, and documentation purposes.
Duringthe reporting period, Mwatana submitted 260 official notes to relevantauthorities in areas under the control of various parties to the conflict toensure effective legal follow-up of the cases handled by its Legal SupportUnit. Additionally, the unit and its field teams held several meetings withofficials from various parties to the conflict, including representatives ofdetention centers, government employees, governors, the offices of the AttorneyGeneral in Sana’a and Aden, the Security and Intelligence Agency, and theMinistries of Interior and Human Rights in Sana’a. Meetings were also conductedwith different security agencies and governorate offices to provide legalsupport and assistance to victims of arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance,and violations of procedural justice requirements.
Throughthis briefing, Mwatana for Human Rights shed light on violations, includingarbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, torture, and extrajudicialkillings, committed between January 1 and December 31, 2024. These violationswere perpetrated by various conflict parties, including the Ansar Allah(Houthi) group, the Southern Transitional Council forces with their variousformations, the Saudi/UAE-led coalition forces, the internationally recognizedgovernment forces (including those affiliated with the Islah Party), and theJoint Forces on the western coast.
Ansar Allah (Houthi) Group
In2024, Mwatana for Human Rights documented 260 incidents of arbitrarydetention, enforced disappearance, torture, other forms of inhuman treatment,and extrajudicial killings attributed to the Ansar Allah (Houthi) group. Theseincluded 185 incidents of arbitrary detention involving 256 civilians,among them 32 boys, 8 girls, and 14 women.The group was also responsible for 54 cases of enforced disappearance,affecting 63 civilians, including 4 boys, 2girls, and 3 women. Furthermore, Mwatana recorded 19 incidents oftorture and other inhuman treatment involving 25 civilians, including 8boys, and two incidents of extrajudicial killings, resulting in thedeaths of 2 civilians.
Prominentamong these violations were arbitrary detention campaigns targeting UN andlocal organization staff, as well as human rights defenders, since June 2024.Ansar Allah (Houthi) elements raided homes and offices of employees,confiscated and searched their phones and electronic devices without legaljustification, and detained many who remain arbitrarily held or forciblydisappeared as of this report. The group also carried out arbitrary detentionsof civilians in areas under its control during the celebrations of Yemen’sSeptember 26, 1962, Revolution.
Southern Transitional Council (STC)
Duringthe reporting period, Mwatana documented 144 incidents of arbitrarydetention, enforced disappearance, and extrajudicial killings attributed to theSouthern Transitional Council (STC) and its various formations. This included 76cases of arbitrary detention affecting 86 civilians, among them 1boy and 1 woman, and 35 cases of enforced disappearance involving41 civilians, including 1 boy. Mwatana also documented 28 casesof torture and other inhuman treatment affecting 33 civilians, and 5incidents of extrajudicial killings involving 7 civilians, including 1girl.
Internationally Recognized Government
Mwatanadocumented 87 violations by forces affiliated with the internationallyrecognized government, including formations linked to the Islah Party. Theseviolations included 60 cases of arbitrary detention involving 87 civilians,among them 6 boys and 2 women. There were also 20 cases ofenforced disappearance affecting 29 civilians, including 4 boysand 6 women, as well as 5 incidents of torture and other inhumanor degrading treatment affecting 7 civilians, including 3 boys.Additionally, 2 incidents of extrajudicial killings claimed the lives of2 civilians.
Saudi/UAE-Led Coalition
Duringthe reporting period, Mwatana documented 3 incidents of arbitrarydetention affecting 5 civilians, 3 incidents of enforceddisappearance involving 4 civilians, and 1 case of torture,attributed to the Saudi/UAE-led coalition.
Joint Forces on the Western Coast
In2024, Mwatana documented 2 incidents involving the Joint Forces on theWestern Coast: 1 case of arbitrary detention affecting 3civilians and 1 case of enforced disappearance involving 3civilians.
In the briefing, Mwatana for Human Rights called on all parties to theconflict, including the Ansar Allah (Houthi) group, the Southern TransitionalCouncil, the internationally recognized government and its Islah-affiliatedforces, the Joint Forces, and the Saudi/UAE-led coalition, to close all illegaldetention centers, immediately release arbitrarily detained individuals, anddisclose the fates of forcibly disappeared persons. It urged these parties toinvestigate cases of torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatmentin detention centers and to ensure humane and lawful detention conditions forthose facing criminal charges.
Mwatanareiterated its call for the Ansar Allah (Houthi) group to unconditionallyrelease all arbitrarily detained workers from international and localorganizations, human rights defenders, and private sector employees who havebeen subjected to arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance since June2024.
