Geneva - SAM Organization for Rights and Liberties said that the continuation of violations by the parties to the conflict, the continued deprivation of individuals of their basic rights, and the practice of arbitrary detention, threats and even extrajudicial killing by many parties, which is a serious violation of what is recognized by international law, in addition to undermining any peaceful solution or effort that would achieve protection for individuals in the absence of international legal accountability for the violations of the parties to the conflict, which must be urgently activated.
The organization explained in a statement issued today, Friday, in conjunction with the World Human Rights Day, that the adoption of this day as an international event emphasizes the importance of protecting the rights of individuals and ensuring their enjoyment of the basic rights guaranteed to them by international law. Nevertheless, the human rights reality in Yemen still indicates complex and serious violations that limit civilians and deprive them of enjoying those rights.
"SAM" stated that this day comes while Yemeni people and the basic components in Yemen are still searching for the enjoyment of their basic rights, for which their revolution began years ago. The same revolution which has been exposed to many internal and external challenges, which made the application and practice of democracy difficult to achieve at the present time.
The human rights organization attributed the decline in indicators of human rights protection in the country to several reasons, the most important of which are: the coup against state institutions by the Houthi group, the freezing of political and democratic action in favor of the group’s individual totalitarian rule, which caused political and sectarian division within the components of the Yemeni people, the unjustified violations by the Houthi group and the UAE-backed Transitional Council forces in the areas they control, and the deviation of external interference from some Arab countries, their interference in the Yemeni decision and harming its sovereignty, which created a state of security chaos and permanent fear by individuals for their lives and the lives of their families in light of the continuation and escalation of these violations.
The organization stressed that what it monitors on a permanent basis reflects a bleak picture of the level of individuals’ enjoyment of their rights, especially as it documents dozens of violations on a daily basis and the numbers of violations are as follows: 1196 violations against activists, 9458 arrests, 547 violations of torture, 214 trials, 350 cases of enforced disappearance, 1350 violations against the press, 6,612 killed, 7,603 injured, 329 violations of religious freedom, 127 violations of health, 870 violations of public violations, 554 violations against public property, 2,699 violations against private property, 1,634 violations against women, 17,898 violations against children, 1,823 mines and explosives used by parties to the conflict, 331 air strikes against civilians, 1,100 homes were blown up, 750 violations of doctrinal freedoms, 10 political executions, 350 death sentences, along with 3 million forcibly displaced people. The Houthi group bears 65% of the violations followed by the Arab coalition with 25%.
The international organization highlighted that about 21 million Yemenis (66% of the country’s population) are in dire need of humanitarian assistance, including 4 million internally displaced people, stressing that about 80% of Yemeni children belong to poor families living below the poverty line that do not have any material income to meet their basic needs, especially since Yemeni children directly suffer from the effects of the conflict on a daily basis where there are currently more than two million children who are out of school. In addition, more than 10 million children need basic health care, more than 11 million children need humanitarian assistance, and 8 million children need emergency educational support. In case the children of Yemen do not receive adequate support, the risks may escalate, resulting in a protracted humanitarian crisis.
SAM pointed out that the effects of the conflict on Yemen have also affected the ability of medical devices to provide appropriate treatment and medical services since 50% of cancer patients in Yemen die as a result of the disruption of the radiation device for treating tumors, the lack of medicines or neglect. Kidney failure patients suffer from the hardship of long distances and the long wait to be able to dialysis in only 28 dialysis centers across Yemen while the number was 40 dialysis centers before the war.
"SAM" confirms that any international effort must first be made to pressure all parties to the conflict to stop their violations and to ensure that violators are brought to justice as a first step to protect human rights in Yemen and then inviting all political parties to a comprehensive dialogue in order to examine the first steps in establishing the foundations of justice and democracy based on the rules and charters of international law which guarantee the full and comprehensive protection of individuals and their rights from any violation.
The organization also stresses that the negative role of the international community in dealing with the complex file of Yemen delays any tangible and real progress regarding the individuals’ enjoyment of democracy and justice. This requires the components and members of the international community, including the United Nations, the Security Council and other bodies, to play a larger and stronger role towards Yemen in order to ensure the fulfillment of the aspirations of the Yemeni people in a country free of violations and deprivation of basic rights guaranteed by international law.