SAM Organization for Rights and Liberties, based in Geneva, is continuing monitoring human rights situation in Yemen, and during September 2017, has documented 382 cases of violations, included extralegal killing, physical assaults, violations to press freedom, arbitrary detention, seizure of properties, enforced displacement, and torture.
Houthis-Saleh militia committed 261 violations out of the total documented, Arab Coalition, 46, and 15 by parties affiliated to the legitimate government and armed groups in Taiz and Aden, 20 other violations by unidentified groups in territories under the legitimate government. Floods has also swept 8 individuals who have to take unsafe road due to the blockade of Taiz city by Houthis-Saleh militia.
Violation of the Right to Life:
SAM organization has monitored and documented 96 killings of civilians, including 35 killed by Houthis militia mainly by indiscriminate shelling on residential areas in Taiz, 13 killed by landmines, including 1 child. Arab Coalition airstrikes also killed 27 civilians during September month.
Violation of the Right to Physical Integrity:
SAM organization has documented 61 injuries among civilians during September, including 5 women, and 15 children in Taiz and Sa’da governorates, majority of casualties were attributed to the indiscriminate shelling by Houthis militia and Saleh forces on residential areas in Taiz, followed by Arab Coalition airstrikes and 9 injuries by landmines.
Arbitrary Detention:
Thousands of Yemenis are under arbitrary detention at Houthis militia and Saleh forces’ prisons in Sana’a and other areas under their control. In addition to tens of civilians in Security belt and Hadhrami elite prisons in Aden and Hadhramout. SAM has documented 96 new cases of arbitrary detention during September 75 by Houthis – Saleh militia and 21 by armed groups loyal to the legitimate government in in Taiz, and the Security Belt in Aden. Arbitrary detention cases distributed as following; 19 in Hajjah governorate, 15 in Sana’a, 14 in Dhamar, 13 in Taiz, 8 in Ibb, and 8 in Shabwa governorate, including 1 child.
Violation of Child Rights:
SAM organization documented continued violations to child rights during September, in the armed confrontation zones, where 66 violations were reported, including 17 child recruitment by Houthis militia and Saleh forces, in Dhamar, Taiz, and Sana’a governorates, also killing of 5 children, and injuring of 15 others due to indiscriminate shelling by Houthis militia and Arab Coalition airstrikes that disregarded rules of combat related to avoidance of residential areas and targets close to civilians.
Violations against Women:
SAM organization has documented 27 violations against women, including 11 killings, involving one child, in addition to 16 injuries among women.
Mines:
Landmines continue to threaten civilians’ life in areas of previous confrontations, while Houthis militia continued using landmines widely, without proper mapping causing increase of landmines’ victims, where 9 cases of landmines detonation were reported during September, killing three civilians including one child and injured seven others.
Suspension of Education Process:
Although schooling year started in Yemen, yet millions of students could join schools, due to teachers’ strike who claimed their unpaid salaries for one year.
SAM organization has received complaints from teachers that the de facto power threatens to replace them with volunteer teachers. Also, parties to the conflict in Yemen are exchanging accusation for delay in salary payment at areas under Houthis-Saleh control, where the legitimate government refused to pay salaries due to Houthis failure to send revenues, and Houthis militia refuses to pay salaries, citing government transfer of the central bank to Aden, as the reason.
Teachers are experiencing difficult conditions due to nonpayment of salaries for almost one year, also, many schools were turned into military barricades and others are out of functionality due to shelling and damages incurred.
Informal Court:
SAM organization has noticed continuing operation of informal courts by certain factions in Taiz, in violation to the constitution. SAM calls on the legitimate government to close these courts and activate formal courts and law enforcement institutions at areas under its control, and to evacuate courts building from armed manifestation.
Other Violations:
SAM Also documented other forms of violations, including detonation of one house in Taiz, 13 intrusions of private objects, 12 of public objects, 18 enforced displacement by Houthis militia, and two torture cases, one by Saudi forces.
Finally, SAM organization stress on the need to reach into immediate resolution that ends people sufferings, and to pay pending salaries by the de facto power in Sana’a and the legitimate government in Aden, confirming that salaries should not be subjected to political compromises, and the responsible authorities that collected revenues shall pay them.
SAM also warns against the deteriorating health situation and failure of health sector to combat cholera outbreak, calling upon the international community to declare Yemen as disaster area requires immediate relief aids.
Recommendations:
SAM Organization for Rights and Liberties,
17 October 2017, Genève