Geneva – SAM Organization for Rights and Liberties stated that the forced recruitment of Yemeni youth into the Russian-Ukrainian war through coercive networks constitutes a clear violation of international humanitarian law and human rights and rises to the level of human trafficking. This necessitates firm steps to prosecute and punish those involved, including tightening national laws to protect youth from exploitation, strengthening oversight at border crossings, and opening international investigations into these violations.
SAM pointed to the existence of a complex network of forced recruitment, where local groups cooperate with international intermediaries to recruit Yemeni youth under false promises of jobs and attractive salaries, sometimes reaching $10,000. The organization added that in the absence of oversight and a lack of legal awareness, Yemeni youth become easy prey for exploitation in military conflicts.
The organization reported that once recruits arrive in Russia, they are subjected to severe abuses, including being forced to fight under harsh and inhumane conditions, being deprived of food and medical care, and suffering injuries or death from indiscriminate shelling on the battlefronts. This highlights the extent to which these networks exploit the fragile humanitarian conditions of the recruits.
SAM's statement also pointed out that the dire economic conditions in Yemen, including widespread unemployment and poverty, make youth an easy target for exploitation. The lack of awareness of international and local laws further exposes them to exploitation by coercive networks, making them more vulnerable to violations within the context of military conflict.
Additionally, Sam noted that alongside recruitment, many Yemenis are seeking migration to Europe to escape catastrophic conditions. However, the absence of state protection and weak protective mechanisms leave them vulnerable to human trafficking networks exploiting their desperate need for work. Previous reports have documented Yemeni involvement in regional conflicts, such as fighting in Sudan, reflecting a dangerous pattern of exploitation based on false promises.
The organization has been closely following the illegal recruitment of Yemeni youth in Russia and has managed to gather direct testimonies from former recruits, as well as reports from security sources. These findings reveal that such operations, conducted under the guise of promises of large financial rewards, flagrantly violate human rights and underscore economic exploitation amid Yemen’s deteriorating living conditions. Testimonies obtained by Sam unveil the presence of an organized network meticulously managing the transport of individuals, using multiple fronts to mask their recruitment activities.
SAM emphasized that the forced recruitment network is not limited to local agents but also includes individuals linked to political groups within Yemen, such as Abdulwali Al-Jabari, a prominent figure in these networks. Recruits are lured with promises of migration and work, then transported through illegal channels to Russia, where they are detained in forced military training camps. The organization added that these operations are often conducted without the recruits' full awareness of the legal or humanitarian consequences of signing untranslated contracts.
SAM also highlighted the role of a mysterious Russian figure named "Dmitry," who operates within the Russian consulate in Oman as a mediator and representative of the Russian side with Al-Jabari’s office. Dmitry's role has been pivotal in facilitating operations between the parties, pointing to a high level of coordination between them.
The organization’s statement linked these findings to the regional political landscape, citing various reports suggesting a developing relationship between the Houthis and Moscow. There are indications of indirect coordination in recruiting Yemenis to fight in conflict zones. This comes amid the Houthis' growing international relations, particularly with powers supporting their positions, raising questions about the level of coordination in exploiting Yemenis as fuel for international conflicts.
SAM reviewed a classified security report issued by an entity affiliated with Yemen’s legitimate government, which exposed a complex network led by Abdulwali Al-Jabari, a member of the House of Representatives affiliated with the Ansar Allah (Houthi) group in Sanaa and a military leader with the rank of major general. The report confirmed that Al-Jabari established a company in Muscat, Oman, described as a front for organizing the transport of Yemeni recruits to Russia to join the Russian army.
The report stated that Al-Jabari visited Russia in May 2024, accompanied by his assistant, Mohammed Qasim Al-Alyani, where they held meetings with Russian figures to outline the logistical and financial details of transferring recruits. These meetings reportedly led to the facilitation of the first batch of 120 Yemeni recruits entering Russia. Additionally, Al-Jabari’s office received a significant number of Yemeni passports to submit to the Russian consulate to expedite travel procedures. The report also mentioned the aforementioned Dmitry, a Russian national acting as a representative of the Russian side with Al-Jabari’s office, whose role was crucial in facilitating operations, indicating a high level of coordination between the two sides.
Several recruits provided testimonies to Sam about the methods used by the recruitment network run by Al-Jabari’s company to enlist individuals and transport them to Russia. They reported that visas were issued by the Russian embassy in Oman. Recruits from various provinces were then instructed to travel to Al-Ghaydah, the capital of Al-Mahra Governorate, where visa holders were gathered. Witnesses explained that the network relied on a travel and tourism company managed by Al-Jabari’s office, which seemed to have been established as a front to cover recruitment activities.
The statement highlighted that the third phase of transporting recruits begins after buses cross the Sarfait border checkpoint between Oman and Yemen, reaching a meticulously organized hub. According to testimonies obtained by Sam, those holding Russian tourist visas issued by the Russian consulate in Al-Ghaydah are facilitated into Oman’s capital, Muscat. From there, Al-Jabari's transportation and travel company moves them to fully furnished apartments designated for this purpose in the Al-Khuwair and Al-Ghubrah areas of Muscat, supervised by Al-Jabari Import Company for their temporary stay.
The next step involves organizing their travel to Moscow via Dubai International Airport, overseen by Mohammed Qasim Al-Alyani, a Yemeni national. This journey serves two purposes: the first is to join Russian forces fighting in Ukraine, while the second involves smuggling some individuals into European countries. Sam has documented these movements through material evidence, including travel tickets, one of which confirmed a journey on August 2, 2024, tracing a clear route from Muscat to Dubai and then to Moscow.
SAM concluded that this information reveals new dimensions of the Yemeni conflict, where regional and international interests intersect to exploit internal conditions for military and political agendas. This activity, led by Al-Jabari, raises broader questions about Russia’s role in Yemen and the potential impact of these actions on the dynamics of regional and international conflicts.
SAM stated that forced recruitment operations and the exploitation of Yemenis' poor economic conditions constitute a clear violation of international humanitarian law and human rights, including the Geneva Conventions, which prohibit endangering civilians. These violations also fall within the scope of human trafficking under United Nations protocols for preventing, suppressing, and punishing trafficking in persons.
Numerous testimonies obtained by Sam, along with journalistic reports, show that Yemeni recruits were systematically deceived by Al-Jabari & Partners Company. They were enticed with lucrative financial offers, including payments of up to $10,000, a monthly salary of $2,500, and other incentives such as insurance and citizenship. However, the reality was entirely different; the workers found themselves detained in camps within Russia under strict movement restrictions. They were only allowed to leave under heavy guard for limited purposes, such as purchasing basic needs, after which they were immediately returned to their places of detention.
SAM added that upon realizing the true nature of their circumstances, the workers strongly refused to engage in combat on the frontlines, asserting that they had arrived under civilian work contracts, not as fighters. However, this stance further complicated their situation, as they were informed that there was no way to leave or return to their country. Some detainees tried to convey their suffering through formal complaints to the relevant regional ambassador, but no tangible results were achieved, despite the worsening conditions and reports of some workers dying under mysterious circumstances in combat operations.
The statement issued by Sam emphasized that the exploitation of Yemeni youth in the Russian-Ukrainian war is not merely a human rights violation but also part of a broader crisis where international and regional interests intersect with humanitarian tragedy. The organization stressed the urgent need for legal action to protect returning recruits and prevent such violations from recurring.
SAM called on the Yemeni government to take firm steps to prosecute and punish those involved in forced recruitment operations, strengthen national laws to protect youth from exploitation, and raise community awareness about the risks of forced recruitment while providing necessary support for returning recruits.
The organization also urged the international community to intensify monitoring of the border crossings through which Yemenis are recruited, such as Oman and Russia, and to open international investigations into these violations. It called for pressure on the United Nations and relevant human rights councils to investigate violations related to mercenary recruitment and urged international parties to strengthen protective mechanisms and provide humanitarian support to Yemenis to reduce the exploitation of their economic conditions for political and military agendas.