SAM Organization for Rights and Liberties condemns the arbitrary procedures and discriminatory decisions taken by certain Arab governments against Yemenis residing abroad; such as high fees on residence permits and requiring prior visas to enter their territories.  Such decisions are clearly and explicitly incompatible with the basic principles of the international law and tighten the blockade on Yemenis, apparently, there is a systematic campaign targeting Yemenis abroad.

Since commencement of the war launched by the Saudi-led Arab Coalition in Yemen, many Yemenis left for other countries in pursuit of security and medical treatment, pending return of stability to their country, however, many Arab countries, faced Yemeni influx with requirement of prior entry visa and security clearance, which were not required in the past, from Yemeni nationality, which is considered as an arbitrary decision and exacerbate agonies of war on Yemenis, particularly those who travel for medication or education.

Most of these procedures imposed on Yemenis could be considered as a nationality-based discrimination, as seen in the decision made by the Emirate of Sharjah, UAE, to grant an entry visa to all expatriates residing in GCC to the UAE, with exception to Yemenis, who need to obtain a prior visa to enter UAE. Similarly, the decision made by Egypt, that require Yemenis between 16 to 50 years old, to obtain a prior entry visa, from its embassies and consulates abroad to enter its territories, while Yemenis wait for months to get security clearance from the Egyptian authorities.

SAM  has received many complaints from Yemenis on the negative impacts of such unexpected decisions on them, in addition to the difficulties and intimidation they face at the respective airports, including unnecessary interrogations by the security, and sometimes detention of Yemeni passengers, and locking of transit passengers in the departure terminals for hours, without providing needed services, particularly for the patients, leading to the death of some passengers in transit terminals.

The recent decisions made by the Saudi authorities to increase residence permit fees has exacerbated the expat Yemenis sufferings and forced them to leave the country, also many expats returned to Yemen, where their lives are at risk due to the ongoing war, according to reports received by SAM.

SAM calls upon Arab governments to reconsider their decisions on Yemenis and Yemeni communities, and contribute to alleviating war burden, and recall such procedures that restrict their movement and travel and to take the humanitarian and security situation in Yemen into account, not only their security concerns.

SAM Organization for Rights and Liberties, Geneva

9 February 2018