Press release

SAM Organization for Rights and Liberties called today, Sunday, June 7, on the Houthis group that controls the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, to release all detainees in connection with the conflict in Yemen immediately without delay in light of the escalating threat of the Coronavirus pandemic.

SAM confirmed in a press statement, that the outbreak of the Corona pandemic poses a serious threat on the detainees, especially with the absence of a clear of precautionary plan to protect the prisons by the Houthis group.

The organization warned that Houthis’ security and irresponsible handling of the Coronavirus pandemic increases the concern over the life and health of the detainees, and ignoring all international and local calls to release the detainees.

SAM reported that it had received confirmed information that more than 7 detainees in one of the wards in the central prison had symptoms of Coronavirus, and that one of them had been transferred to Kuwait Hospital, while samples were taken from others and the diagnosis had not been declared yet.

A special source confirmed to "SAM" that the prison clinic is the place designated for isolation and supervised by one of the detainees. Also, confirmed that more than 30 detainees have been transferred from this ward to the Political Security Detention Center and another prison, including those who suffer from symptoms of the Coronavirus.

He added that there are no clear procedures for isolation and social distance, and no human rights or medical organization has visited the prison since the beginning of the Coronavirus crisis, including the International Committee of the Red Cross.

SAM reiterated its demand for the urgent and immediate release of detainees by the Houthis group, calling on the United Nations and the Office of the Peace Process Envoy to pressure the parties to the conflict to implement the understandings reached in Jordan regarding conducting prisoner exchanges and exposing the spoiling  party to Yemeni public opinion.

SAM Organization for Rights and Liberties, Geneva

June 7, 2020