SAM Organization for Rights and Liberties stated that delays in completing detainee files within the timeframe set out in the “all-for-all” comprehensive exchange carry significance beyond mere procedural concerns. These delays come at a moment of heightened international attention to this file, recognized as one of the most important indicators of seriousness in respecting humanitarian obligations in the Yemen conflict.
This development is particularly significant following the agreement signed in Muscat, Oman, on 23 December 2025, after approximately 12 days of consultations under United Nations auspices. The agreement calls for the exchange of nearly 2,900 prisoners and detainees, described as one of the most prominent humanitarian initiatives aimed at alleviating suffering and building trust between the parties.
SAM emphasized that compliance with the announced understandings is measured not only by the speed of implementation, but by the ability to protect the humanitarian nature of the process from political maneuvering or renegotiation. Any failure to respect the agreed mechanisms and timelines should not be seen as a technical delay but as a direct test of the credibility of commitments made and the extent to which parties adhere to obligations under international humanitarian law.
The organization stressed that completing detainee lists and revealing the fate of those forcibly disappeared represents a legal and moral obligation that cannot be postponed or applied selectively. In humanitarian matters, time is measured by its impact on victims and their families, not by the pace of negotiations. Delays in this file risk undermining one of the few available tracks capable of fostering a minimum level of trust and send worrying signals about the vulnerability of humanitarian processes to disruption.
SAM called on sponsoring entities and international actors to play a more active role in safeguarding existing agreements and ensuring their implementation according to the agreed mechanisms, preventing erosion of their purpose. The organization highlighted the importance of enhancing international oversight of the preparation and review of detainee lists, which reinforces transparency and prevents exclusion or politicization.
The organization also underscored that engagement by human rights organizations in monitoring the detainee file provides an additional guarantee of preserving its humanitarian character and strengthens the climate of trust surrounding the process, especially in cases requiring high levels of transparency and accountability. Growing human rights attention to this track reflects increased international recognition of its sensitivity, serving as a test of commitment to protecting populations affected by conflict.
SAM stressed that clarity of responsibilities is now essential and that identifying parties obstructing progress is part of safeguarding the process from erosion, enhancing the prospects for implementing the agreements in their intended humanitarian spirit. Naming sources of delay should not be seen as escalation but as a measure to uphold accountability and prevent the process from becoming trapped in perpetual postponement, ensuring that humanitarian considerations remain the priority.
In conclusion, SAM emphasized that the credibility of any path toward de-escalation is first measured by its ability to protect human life, and that responsibly addressing the detainee file is a necessary step to demonstrate that humanitarian imperatives can take precedence over conflict calculations. Respect for these obligations is not a negotiable option but a standard by which the seriousness of efforts toward sustainable peace is measured.