SAM Organization for Rights and Liberties, based in Genève, has documented 3587 violations to human rights in Yemen during April 2017, violations included extralegal killing, arbitrary detention, confiscation of properties, forced displacement, torture, oppression to press freedom, and denial of fair trial. Houthis-Saleh militia is responsible for 3505 violations, Arab Coalition for 44, legitimate government 15 including violation to press freedom and extralegal killing, 20 by unknown parties, 3 US drones attack. In addition to other violations related to freedom of movement, political and economic freedoms, and violations to the rights to health and education.
Violation to the right to life:
SAM organization has documented 150 civilian killings, in April 105 of them by Houthis militia, 23 by landmines, 6 political activists assassinated, and 44 killed by Arab Coalition airstrikes in Taiz and Mareb.
Violations related to physical integrity right:
SAM organization has documented 119 injuries among civilians, during April, including 23 casualties due to landmines planted by Houthis militia in residential areas and public streets, others sustained injuries due to indiscriminate shelling by Houthis-Saleh militia.
Arbitrary Detention:
Thousands of Yemeni civilians are still under arbitrary detention at the prisons of Houthis-Saleh militia in Sana’a, and other areas under their control, in addition to other tens of civilians, at the prisons of the Security Belt forces, and Hadhrami Elite forces affiliated to the legitimate forces, in Aden and Hadhramout. In April, SAM organization has documented 303 arbitrary detention cases, including 88 people in Hodiedah, 50 in Hajjah, and 42 in Dhamar governorate. Other cases of detention are distributed among Sana’a, Taiz and Ibb governorate. All violations under this category were perpetrated by Houthis militia, except two cases of arbitrary detention by Security Belt in forces Aden.
Torture:
SAM organization received reports on tens of torture cases to detainees to force them to confess. Relatives of the detainees confirmed that they’ve noticed signs of torture on their bodies. Also, Houthis militia minimized and sometimes denied family visits to the detainees. SAM organization has documented one torture case in Sana’a, two in Sa’da, and one in Mareb, by military forces in Al-Wade’a entry point, and one in Aden by Security Belt forces.
Violations to press freedom:
All newspapers and media outlets closed by Houthis following September 2014 coup, remained closed also 17 journalists are detained at Houthis militia’s prison for one and half years, and some of them are subjected to torture according to documented reports received by SAM, journalist Essam Belgaith, is suffering sever pains in his spine, resulted from torture, and he suffers from “Helicobacter pylori”, thereby require immediate healthcare, but Houthis denied him access to medication till the date of this report. Other detainees also are also subjected to torturer and sustain different illnesses but they’ve been denied medication.
SAM organization monitored and documented 19 violations on journalists during April, including death sentence on journalist Yahya Abdulraqeeb al-Jubaihi by state security court in Sana’a, also trial of 14 journalists from Al-Thawra Corporation, under provocation charges for participating in protest sit-in to claim their salaries. Also, one intimidation case against a female journalist in Taiz, and one torture in Sana’a, and one casualty in Taiz.
Violation to the right of fair trial:
SAM organization has documented referral of 36 civilians to exceptional court convened at the Political Security premises, Sana’a, and SAM believes that the judiciary system is biased and favors the de facto power, and is incapable of applying fair trial transparency and integrity standards.
Provocation and Defamation:
SAM organization has detected slander campaign during April against 36 civilians under trial by exceptional court in Sana’a, where media outlets affiliated to Houthis aired recorded confession of the suspects, slandering them, and mobilizing public against them and their relatives.
Rights of movement:
SAM organization has documented denial of travel to 11 people via Aden airport by the legitimate government authorities, during April, without legal ground for such ban.
Child violation:
SAM organization has documented 42 violations against children in April, including 25 cases of recruitment by Houthis – Saleh militia, mainly in Dhamar and Hodiedah governorates; 10 cases, and other cases in Amran and Sana’a.
Violations against women:
SAM organization has also, documented 52 violations against women, included 22 killings, 30 injuries, 6 of which resulted from anti-personnel landmines, mostly in Taiz governorate, and due to indiscriminate shelling.
Mines:
SAM organization has documented 45 incidents of mines explosion during April, in Taiz and Al-Baidha, killing 28 people, and injuring 22 others including women and children.
Siege and forced displacement:
In addition to siege of Belad Al-Wafi villages in Gabal Habashi mountain district, Taiz, for the sixth month consecutively, SAM has monitored displacement of 3254 people including women and children, in Gabal Habashi and Al-Waziya’ and Mawza’a districts, in Taiz, by Houthis0Saleh militia, in addition to forced displacement by Security Belt in Aden for citizen on identity basis.
Recommendations:
SAM organization urges UN and humanitarian organizations to provide urgent aids to the displaced civilians in Taiz and to work to remove siege from Belad Al-Wafi, immediately and without condition.
SAM organization urges Arab Coalition forces to avoid targeting civilians and to revise their rule of combat in a way that ensure avoiding targeting civilians by airstrikes.
SAM organization calls to spare children the war woes, and calls the international community to take serious measures and stand against child recruitment that has increased alarmingly.
SAM Organization for Rights and Freedoms, condemns all crimes and violations contained in this report which are deemed gross violations to the international humanitarian law, and human rights law, indiscriminate shelling, forced displacement and houses detonation.
SAM organization also condemns verdict on journalist Yahya Abdulraqeeb Al-Jubaihi and trial of 36 others to the exceptional court that lacks minimum standards and conditions of fair trial, and all other relevant violations, including defamation, mobilization, and media campaign against them. SAM also calls Houthis group, the de fact power, to commit to the international conventions on human rights, noting that their acts against the abductees are considered as crimes against humanity.
SAM Organization for Rights and Liberties
Genève,13 May 2017