SAM Organization for Rights and Liberties, based in Genève, is monitoring human rights situation in Yemen, and within this context it has documented 550 violations in July 2017, including extralegal killing, physical assaults, violations to press freedom, arbitrary detention, confiscation of properties, enforced displacement and torture.
Houthis – Saleh militia committed 341 violations out of 550, Arab Coalition 51, and 37 violations by groups loyal to the legitimate government and armed groups in Taiz and Aden. 19 other violations were committed by anonymous groups in areas under legitimate government control.
Violation of the Right to Life:
SAM Organization has documented 112 killings of civilians during July, including 40 by Houthis-Saleh militia in indiscriminate shelling on residential neighborhood in Taiz. 7 civilians’ due to clashes between armed groups in Taiz, three due to torture in Taiz and Hajjah, 8 assassinated in Taiz, Ibb, Amran and Hadhramout, and 3 by landmines, including 2 months old child.
SAM organization, also, documented killing of civilians by Arab Coalition airstrike, where 44 civilians were killed in Mawza’a districts, Taiz, including three children, by Arab Coalition airstrikes.
Violation of the Right to Physical Integrity:
SAM organization documented 154 injured civilians, including 33 women, 39 children mainly due to indiscriminate shelling by Houthis-Saleh militia, on civilians in Taiz, followed by Arab Coalition airstrikes and 9 injured by mines detonation.
Arbitrary Detention:
Thousands of Yemeni civilians are under arbitrary detention at Houthis-Saleh militia’s prisons in Sana’a and other areas under their control, in addition to other hundreds at Security Belt and Hadhrami Elite forces’ prisons, in Aden and Hadhramout, which is under legitimate forces control. Last month many detainees were released from Houthis-Saleh prisons, yet no release of detainees was reported in Hadhrami Elite and Security Belt prisons.
Furthermore, SAM organization documented 187 new cases of arbitrary detention, 125 by Houthis-Saleh militia, 29 by armed factions loyal to the legitimate government in Taiz, and Security Belt in Aden. Arbitrary detention cases were distributed among Taiz (48), Hajjah (46), Hodiedah (31), Ibb (19), including 2 children, and (16) in Taiz. Other cases are distributed in Dhamar, Amran, Sana’a the capital and Aden.
Violation of Child Rights:
SAM organization noted escalation in child rights violations during July, in the confrontation zones, where documented 77 violations were documented, including 15 child recruitment cases, by Houthis-Saleh militia, in Amran, Hodiedah, Ibb, Sana’a governorates. Also, 20 children were killed mainly in Taiz governorate, in addition to 39 others injured by indiscriminate Houthis militia’s shelling on civilians in Taiz, in addition to Arab Coalition airstrikes, due to disregard to the rules of combat, that require precaution measures to avoid targeting residential areas and adjacent targets.
Violations against Women:
SAM organization has documented 38 violations against women, including 15 killings, and 23 injuries, including 4 by anti-personnel mines.
Mines:
Mines continue to pose danger against civilians, especially in former confrontation zones. Houthis militia continued using landmines without providing maps of the minefields, causing rise in mines victims, where we’ve documented 12 incidents of mines detonation, including 11 in Taiz and 1 in Lahaj.
Violations of Journalists and Human Rights Defenders:
SAM has documented 19 violations against journalists and human rights defenders, included incitement, physical assault, and intimidation, where 3 physical assaults reported in Taiz and Shabwa, one intimidation in Taiz, and 10 journalists were filed to state security prosecution, and 1 case of arbitrary detention in Bajil, Hodiedah.
Blockade and Enforced Displacement of Civilians:
Beside continued blockade of Al-Wafi village in Jabal Habashi district, Taiz, for the eighth consecutive month, SAM reported displacement of 2280 civilians in Mocha and Zu Bab districts, in Bab Almandab, due to armed confrontations and denial of citizens’ access to their houses by legitimate forces led by UAE, people in the area have fallen victims of double violations by Houthis who displaced them and by the resistance forces who refused their return to their houses, further they lack any relief aids to sustain their lives.
Finally, SAM organization would like to stress on the need for immediate solution to people’s sufferings and to pay salaries by the de facto power in Sana’a, and the de jury government in Aden, also confirm that salary is unequivocal right of people that should not be subjected to political compromises.
SAM also indicate to the deteriorated health situation in the country, and inability of health sector to combat cholera outbreak, calling upon the international community to declare Yemen as disaster area that needs urgent aids.
Recommendations:
SAM Organization for Rights and Liberties, denounces all crimes included in this statement which are gross violations of the international humanitarian law and human rights law, particularly indiscriminate shelling and enforced displacement.
SAM organization also condemns the escalated violations on journalists, and calls upon Houthi group, being the de facto power, to commit to the international human rights conventions and instruments, where such violations on journalists are considered as crimes against humanity.
SAM Organization for Rights and Liberties, 15 August 2017, Genève