Saudi-led Coalition Must Immediately and Unconditionally Release al-Mutawakel and al-Faqih

Mwatana reiterates its demand of releasing al-Mutawakel and al-Faqih unconditionally and immediately, returning back their passports and not intercepting their travel.

Monday, June 18, 2018
Saudi-led Coalition Must Immediately and Unconditionally Release al-Mutawakel and al-Faqih
رضية المتوكل

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Radhya Almutawakel, Chairperson of Mwatana, and Abdulrasheed Alfaqih, its Executive Director, detained at Seiyun Airport

Sana’a- June 18, 2018

In the release issued today, Mwatana for Human Rights states that Saudi-led coalition must immediately and unconditionally release Radhya Almutawakel, the Chairperson and Abdulrasheed al-Faqih, the Executive Director of Mwatana for Human Rights.Today, Monday, June 18, 2018, between 11:00 am and 2:00 pm, Saudi-led coalition and authorities of Seiyun Airport in Hadhramout governorate confiscated al-Mutawakel’s and al-Faqih’s passports and later detained them before traveling for a medical treatment and business trip. Al-Mutawakel was supposed to participate in an event organized by the Center for Humanitarian Dialogue in Oslo. In addition to seeking a medical treatment, al-Faqih was in a mission that involves preparations for a training workshop in partnership with the European Union. Due to their detention, al-Mutawakel and al-Faqih missed their flight which took off at 12:30 pm from Seiyun Airport. In addition to the harassment that Mwatana team faces in different areas in Yemen, last Thursday, June 14, 2018 al-Faqih was detained for around for ten hours at “Bab al-Falaj” checkpoint in Marib which is under the control of forces loyal to President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi.During 2015 and 2016, al-Mutawakel and al-Faqih were subjected to detention, attacks, and harassment by Ansar Allah group (Houthis). The group confiscated al-Faqih’s passport at Sana’a International Airport on March 4, 2016 upon his arrival from the Jordanian capital, Amman where he was participating in an international solidarity conference with Yemeni journalists, organized by the International Federation of Journalists, the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate and other international organizations.Mwatana reiterates its demand of releasing al-Mutawakel and al-Faqih unconditionally and immediately, returning back their passports and not intercepting their travel. Mwatana holds the Saudi-led coalition the full responsibility for their wellbeing and the consequences of their detention.Mwatana also stresses that such practices and attempts of silencing that the organization is subjected to, by Saudi-led coalition, forces loyal to President Hadi, Ansar Allah group (Houthis), or any other side, will not stop the organization for resuming its work in documenting human rights violations that are committed by all sides, groups and authorities in Yemen. This will also not stop Mwatana from taking the full side of the voices of victims and their causes.[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]