Geneva – SAM Organization for Rights and Liberties said it is deeply concerned about what it described as a “coordinated and systematic campaign” being carried out by the Houthi armed group in several Yemeni governorates. The campaign includes arbitrary arrests of citizens, along with a serious escalation in incitement through official media and Houthi-affiliated platforms. The organization considers this campaign a flagrant violation of the Yemeni Constitution and international human rights law, constituting a grave threat to fundamental freedoms in the country.

Arrests in Al-Mahwit Governorate
SAM reported that in recent days, the Houthi group launched a wave of abductions in Al-Mahwit Governorate, targeting a number of citizens for sharing a video clip showing the moment a Houthi missile fell in the “Ibn Abdullah” area — an incident the group attempted to attribute to a U.S. airstrike. According to the Al-Mahwit Media Center, the arrests were made under direct orders from “Abdullah Al-Tawoos,” the group’s security supervisor in the governorate. The center obtained the names of six abductees: Abdulaziz Nayef Al-Ashmouri, Mohammed Yahya Ahmed Al-Abadi, Nassar Nasser Ali Al-Ashmouri, Mithaq Abdullah Al-Harazi, Issam Abduh Abdullah Maznoon, and Adeeb Mohammed Mohammed Al-Sirani.

Arrests in Sana’a
In the capital Sana’a, SAM confirmed that a security campaign targeted approximately thirty citizens for filming and documenting scenes of an airstrike that hit the “Furwah Residential Market.” The organization stated that the detainees were distributed across several police stations, with most currently being held at the “Humair Police Station” in the capital, according to a tweet by journalist Fares Al-Himyari dated April 21, 2025.

Arrests in Al-Hodeidah Governorate
In Al-Hodeidah Governorate, SAM documented the arrest of eight citizens from Al-Hawak District in the city of Hodeidah. These individuals had documented and published images and videos of victims from U.S. airstrikes that targeted the “Amin Moqbel” area. According to a post by journalist Mujahid Al-Qub dated April 9, 2025, two of the detainees were arrested solely for having their voices appear in the circulated videos.

Escalation in Media Incitement and Calls for Execution
The organization reported that these violations were accompanied by a dangerous incitement campaign led by prominent Houthi media figures and leaders through official media and social media platforms. These campaigns include sweeping accusations against citizens of espionage, treason, and collaboration with “the American and Zionist enemy,” and contain explicit calls for their execution — all without legal evidence or fair judicial procedures.

In a televised speech, the head of the group’s Supreme Political Council, Mahdi Al-Mashat, stated that the conflict has “no title other than Jew and Muslim,” adding: “Anyone standing in this battle is being monitored by the security services, and we are dealing with this with absolute firmness.” He also warned against “those tempted by Satan,” in rhetoric that SAM described as a religious and political tool to incite violence and preemptively justify repression, in violation of both local and international laws prohibiting speech that incites violence or justifies human rights abuses.

SAM added that Al-Mashat’s statements reflect a dangerous trend toward legitimizing arrest, incitement, and intimidation by publicly endorsing security crackdowns on those accused of opposing “the cause,” without clear legal definitions or respect for judicial standards.

The organization noted that other Houthi leaders also engaged in incitement via social media, including Nasr Al-Din Amer, the head of the Houthi-controlled Saba News Agency. He openly called for the execution of those he described as “agents of the American and Zionist enemy,” asserting that the judiciary and security forces must immediately move to prosecute them. In a tweet dated April 23, 2025, he wrote: “The people will not show them mercy, nor will God, and Hell awaits them.”

Similarly, the head of the Houthi Prisoners’ Affairs Committee, Abdulqader Al-Murtadha, called for the application of Article (126) of the Yemeni Penal Code, which stipulates the death penalty or life imprisonment for anyone who “collaborates with an enemy state.” SAM emphasized that this political misuse of legal texts without a fair trial poses a serious threat to citizens' fundamental rights.

Legal Analysis of the Violations
SAM stressed that the actions of the Houthi group clearly violate Article (47) of the Yemeni Constitution, which prohibits arrest or detention without a judicial order, and Article (48), which guarantees the rights and legal protections of detainees. These practices also contravene Yemen’s obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, particularly Article (9), which prohibits arbitrary detention; Article (19), which guarantees freedom of expression; and Article (14), which ensures the right to a fair trial.

SAM argued that the ongoing incitement campaign built on hate speech and demonization under allegations of “treason” or “collaboration” is a dangerous prelude to unlawful and oppressive practices. This effectively shuts down public space for any independent or critical voices and creates fertile ground for severe human rights abuses, including extrajudicial killings.

The organization emphasized that what is occurring constitutes a dangerous political manipulation of Article (126) of the Yemeni Penal Code — which stipulates the death penalty or life imprisonment for collaborating with enemy states — stressing that it can only be applied within the framework of a fair trial and an independent judiciary, free from political or military control.

Call for Immediate Action
SAM called on the Houthi group to immediately cease all arbitrary arrest campaigns and to release all detainees held for expressing their opinions or documenting events. The organization also urged the group to stop using official media to incite violence and hatred against citizens.

The organization affirmed that anyone accused of collaborating with foreign parties must be held accountable only through fair trials that respect judicial procedures and legal safeguards — not via sham trials or politically motivated eliminations disguised under legal pretenses.

Finally, SAM urged the international community, the United Nations, and the Human Rights Council to pressure the Houthi group to halt these escalating violations and to protect civilians in areas under the group’s control. The organization also stressed the importance of launching an international investigation into arbitrary detentions and public incitement to violence — actions that, if continued or resulting in executions, could amount to crimes against humanity.