SAM Organization for Rights and Liberties said in a statement today, Tuesday, June 30, 2020 that the Director General of Student Dormitory at Sana'a University, Basheer Thawaba is holding four students, “the organization reserves their names” in the Sana'a University dormitory located in front of the Computer College for nearly three months, where he threatened to expel and insult any female student who opposed his decision, and closed all doors of the dormitory with locks from all sides, and the students are not allowed to go out or enter any foodstuffs belonging to them or any other assistance except for meals provided to them with the security guards of the buildings and were allowed recently to buy some of the needs for an hour and a half.

Where a complaint reached SAM indicate that; “We are prohibited from entering foodstuffs, but the guards kindly provide us with some meals as if we are already prisoners and we are not allowed to leave, knowing that the meals that are given to us are not suitable for consumption, each of us is given a piece of uncooked chicken that causes stomach pains, with a little rice and some bread.

According to the female students’ statement and the complaints seen by the organization, the organization said that it is a complaint made by the detained students to the President of Sana'a University and the Attorney General stating that the Houthis group decided to vacate the said university building for unknown reasons, and the students submitted a request to the Vice President of the University requesting an exception to stay in the dormitory because they have no another residence to go to, noting that they are expatriates and had work, and he agreed to exempt them and allow them to stay.

“Despite the approval of the dormitory manager as well, he started to frustrate and harass us and announced to all students, that “Any student or employee who speaks or refuses will be expelled and insulted, and he ordered the guards to prevent us from entering or leaving for whatever reason, or circumstances." According to the statement

SAM's statement pointed out that the detainees are subjected to intimidation that aims to force them to leave the university dormitory - originally allocated to provide decent housing for students in the same condition as female students and employees - by threatening them to leave by force through the security men or deny them their rights or defame them via social media, in a manner that reflects the abuse of power against girls who have expressed their right to housing in an administrative and legal manner guaranteed by the Constitution and the law.

SAM emphasized that what female students in university housing are exposed to is a flagrant violation of their legitimate rights, including the detention of their freedom and the endangerment of their lives by depriving them of treatment and communication with society as required, and it is considered a type of arbitrary detention (house arrest) that deprives students of their freedom and their right to exercise their normal lives

SAM confirmed that dozens of female university students face an unknown fate due to the closure of the dormitory, with the talks about forthcoming return of studies to the university in August.

SSAM called the administration of the University of Sanaa to quickly allow students to practice their normal lives, stop coercive measures against them, hold the perpetrator accountable, and ensure that students return to university dormitory to continue their education.

SAM Organization for Rights and Liberties, Geneva

June 30, 2020