Geneva – SAM Organization for Rights and Liberties stated that the shocking footage circulated from Abyan Governorate on Sunday, April 13, 2025—which showed members of the Southern Transitional Council’s Counter-Terrorism Forces driving through the city streets with the corpse of a deceased individual tied to the front of an armored vehicle—constitutes a heinous crime and a flagrant violation of the law.
SAM confirmed that the body, according to preliminary information, belonged to a person named (Abu Zaid Al-Haddi Al-Yafei), who was killed in a security operation in Ataq City, Shabwah Governorate, earlier that same day, on suspicion of belonging to a terrorist organization. The organization emphasized that what occurred cannot be justified or excused under any pretext of the victim’s alleged affiliation with any group. Security forces must not descend into retaliatory practices that violate the most basic principles of justice.
The organization pointed out that this act is a blatant affront to human dignity and constitutes a clear crime under both Yemeni and international law. Article 226 of the Yemeni Penal Code No. 12 of 1994 stipulates penalties for anyone who mutilates or desecrates a human corpse. Additionally, Islamic law explicitly forbids the mutilation of corpses, as affirmed in the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) statement: “Do not mutilate.” SAM further stressed that international humanitarian law—particularly Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions—criminalizes degrading treatment of the dead and classifies such acts among offenses warranting accountability, which, under certain circumstances, may amount to war crimes.
The organization underscored that respect for human dignity must remain the foundation of any project aimed at building a state governed by law and institutions. It warned that such conduct undermines public trust in security institutions and strips them of legitimacy in the eyes of citizens.
SAM called for an urgent and transparent investigation into the incident, under neutral and judicial supervision, and for all those responsible—whether directly or indirectly involved—to be held accountable. It held the Yemeni government, the Attorney General, security institution leaders, and the Presidential Leadership Council legally and constitutionally responsible for upholding human rights and ensuring that security and military bodies operate under the rule of law.
The organization also urged the international community—particularly the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Human Rights Council—to take immediate action to follow up on this crime and to apply pressure to ensure proper investigation and accountability. SAM emphasized that silence or justification in the face of such practices does not constitute neutrality but rather dangerous complicity, paving the way for further erosion of values and justice. It concluded by stressing that the fight against terrorism cannot be achieved through acts of counter-terrorism that mirror those very crimes, but rather through adherence to the rule of law and respect for human dignity—without selectivity.