Geneva – SAM Organization for Rights and Liberties expressed its welcome at the release of Yemeni citizen Asmaa Mater Al-Omaisi from Houthi prisons after nine years of arbitrary detention, stressing that this release—despite its humanitarian significance—does not nullify her right to justice, redress, and compensation, nor does it absolve the Houthi group of its criminal responsibility for the grave violations committed against her.

The organization explained that the case of Asmaa Al-Omaisi embodies a stark example of the suffering endured by women in Houthi prisons. She was arrested in early October 2016 and sentenced to death by the Specialized Criminal Court under Houthi control. Her lawyer, Abdul Majeed Sabra, succeeded in appealing the verdict before the Court of Appeal, which then reduced her sentence to fifteen years in prison. However, the Supreme Court overturned both verdicts and referred the case back to the Court of Appeal, which subsequently issued a new ten-year sentence in a case where she was never formally charged with any specific offense. SAM noted that this alarming precedent exposed the extent of judicial violations, the politicization of the judiciary, and the systematic denial of fair trial guarantees.

SAM pointed out that it has followed Asmaa’s case since her arrest through its various reports on the situation of women in Houthi prisons, highlighting the severe suffering she endured—including psychological torture, humiliation, and violations of her fundamental rights. The organization further noted that it has issued several reports documenting the abuses faced by women in areas under Houthi control, most notably “What Is Left for Us,” “Yemeni Women: Ongoing Suffering,” and “Discriminatory Restrictions.” These reports revealed the extent of widespread and systematic violations against women, including arbitrary detention, torture, gender-based violence, and the total absence of justice.

The organization affirmed that Asmaa’s case is not an isolated incident but rather a symbol of the suffering of thousands of women detained under harsh conditions in Houthi prisons—facilities that have effectively turned into silent graves, while the courts have become instruments of repression, reflecting the ugliest forms of injustice and denial of rights.

In this context, SAM also drew attention to the case of activist Fatima Al-Arwali, who was sentenced to death by the Specialized Criminal Court in Sana’a in December 2023 following a sham trial marred by severe legal irregularities, most notably the denial of her right to legal defense and representation and her prolonged solitary confinement for eight months. The organization noted that Al-Arwali—a human rights activist and head of the Al-Mo’eel Organization for Human Development—still faces the risk of execution based on fabricated charges of espionage and collaboration with foreign states.

SAM stressed that the release of Al-Omaisi does not absolve the Houthi group of its responsibility for nine years of unjust imprisonment. It emphasized that this release must be followed by a comprehensive and independent investigation to ensure accountability for those responsible for her unlawful detention and unfair trial, as well as full compensation for the physical, psychological, and social harm inflicted upon her and her family.

The organization further called for the immediate provision of medical, psychological, and social care for Asmaa Al-Omaisi after years of deprivation and harsh treatment. It reaffirmed that true justice cannot be achieved merely through release, but through the prosecution of perpetrators and the restoration of victims’ rights. SAM also urged the international community and the United Nations to exert maximum pressure on the Houthi group to end its systematic violations against women and to ensure the immediate release of all arbitrarily detained men and women, including activist Fatima Al-Arwali.

The organization warned that the ongoing international silence regarding the atrocities committed in Houthi prisons constitutes indirect complicity and undermines global efforts to achieve justice in Yemen. It affirmed that what happened to Asmaa Al-Omaisi represents a compound crime—one that targeted the woman, justice, and human dignity all at once.