Geneva – SAM for Rights and Liberties stated today that the announcement by Aden Security Administration of the arrest of four suspects in the assassination case of Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Shaer, director of Al-Nouras Private Schools, represents an important step toward justice. However, the organization emphasized that this step must be followed by independent and transparent investigations that uncover the full network behind the planning, execution, and financing of the crime, and not be limited to the direct perpetrators.
On Wednesday, April 29, 2026, Aden Security announced the arrest of four primary suspects in connection with the case. It also reported identifying and seizing the vehicle used in the crime, as well as confiscating one of the weapons used in carrying out the operation. The administration further indicated that preliminary investigations revealed the existence of an organized criminal cell that had been planning to target a number of preachers and mosque imams. Additionally, another cell linked to the case was uncovered, and several of its members were arrested.
SAM stated that these findings—if judicially confirmed—reveal an extremely dangerous level of organization, surveillance, and planning, and underscore that the assassination of Al-Shaer should not be treated as an isolated incident. Rather, it is part of a broader pattern of assassinations and security instability that Aden has witnessed in recent years, targeting religious, educational, political, and civil figures, amid weak accountability and declining public trust in law enforcement institutions.
The organization added: “The announcement of the arrest of suspects alone is not sufficient to achieve justice,” stressing that what is required at this stage is a professional, independent investigation and the referral of all those involved—including planners, financiers, instigators, and facilitators—to a competent and independent court that guarantees fair trial standards.
SAM also noted that the authorities in Aden, alongside the Yemeni government and the Presidential Leadership Council, are required to ensure the independence of the investigation and to expand it to include all individuals or entities involved in any capacity. It warned against limiting the investigation and responsibility to direct perpetrators only. In this context, it stressed the importance of publishing periodic updates on the progress of the investigation—without compromising its confidentiality—in order to reassure the victim’s family and the public that the case is not subject to political or security bargaining or pressure.
The organization pointed out that assassination crimes in Aden cannot be addressed through isolated arrest operations alone, but rather require opening a comprehensive file on previous assassinations, reviewing the causes behind stalled investigations, and revealing the fate of cases that have not reached final judicial rulings. It affirmed that impunity in cases of political and organized killings encourages their recurrence and transforms violence from isolated acts into a systematic structure of intimidation targeting society as a whole.
SAM indicated that this case represents the first real test of the seriousness of the new security situation in Aden and its ability to move beyond statements of condemnation and promises of pursuit toward a genuine path of justice and accountability. It explained that the success of the authorities in fully uncovering the truth and bringing all those involved to justice would constitute an important step toward restoring public trust in security and judicial institutions. Conversely, any failure, selectivity, or cover-up would deepen existing doubts and reinforce the belief that assassination crimes can still evade accountability.
The organization emphasized that the independence of security and judicial institutions is a central condition for achieving genuine justice, calling on the Presidential Leadership Council and the Yemeni government to take urgent steps to ensure that all security agencies in Aden are subject to the rule of law, to prevent the multiplicity of security decision-making centers, and to strengthen judicial oversight over arrest, investigation, and detention procedures.
SAM also called for serious investment in the rehabilitation of criminal investigation bodies, the prosecution, and the judiciary, and in building their capacities in evidence collection, crime scene protection, forensic analysis, witness and whistleblower protection, and documentation of organized crimes, in order to ensure that cases do not collapse due to procedural weaknesses or the absence of a proper legal chain of evidence.
In the same context, the organization stressed the importance of the Presidential Leadership Council, in coordination with legislative authorities, adopting legal measures proportionate to the scale of organized crime in Aden and other Yemeni regions. This includes criminalizing assassination networks, surveillance, incitement, financing, and concealment, establishing independent mechanisms to protect witnesses and victims, and enforcing accountability against any security or military official proven to be involved, negligent, or complicit.
SAM further affirmed that respecting the rights of the accused and ensuring a fair trial does not contradict the victims’ right to justice; rather, it is an essential condition for strong and sustainable justice. It noted that any violation of legal procedures could weaken the case, open the door for appeals, and give perpetrators another opportunity to evade accountability.
The organization urged media outlets and activists to exercise accuracy and refrain from publishing information that could harm the course of the investigation or assist potential fugitives, while stressing at the same time that authorities are obligated to be transparent and that warnings against leaks should not become a pretext for withholding information or closing the case to public oversight.
SAM concluded by emphasizing that the assassination of Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Shaer should mark a turning point in addressing assassination crimes in Aden, noting that justice can only be achieved through fully uncovering the truth, holding all those responsible accountable, dismantling organized networks of violence, and reforming security and judicial institutions as a necessary entry point to restoring public trust in the state and the rule of law.