Geneva - SAM for Rights and Liberties said today that the assassination of Dr. Abdulrahman Abdulwahab Al-Shaer, Chairman of the Board of Al-Nours Private Schools in Aden, raises serious concerns about the resurgence of a pattern of organized assassinations in the city and calls for an urgent, independent, and transparent criminal investigation leading to accountability for both the perpetrators and those behind them.

Dr. Al-Shaer was killed on the morning of Saturday, April 25, 2026, in the Kabota area of Al-Mansoura district, while on his way to his school to participate in an educational event linked to the Fifth Al-Nours Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Championship 2026. According to eyewitness accounts, armed men traveling in a “Hilux” vehicle intercepted Dr. Al-Shaer’s car near a turn close to the school building. As he attempted to stop, they opened heavy fire on him while he was still inside his vehicle, before fleeing the scene.

In a special statement to SAM, a relative of the victim stated: Professor Dr. Abdullah Abdulrahman was assassinated on Saturday. Although it was an official holiday, he was heading to the school to attend a robotics program and competition. The source explained that as the doctor arrived alone in his car near the school, a Hilux vehicle intercepted his path; gunmen got out and opened fire on him directly while he was still inside his vehicle.

The source added that the doctor sustained four fatal gunshot wounds that led to his immediate death. While citizens attempted to rush him to Al-Salam Hospital, he passed away on the way, and was later transferred to Al-Jumhouria Hospital for autopsy procedures. The relative revealed that the doctor had been anxious about his safety throughout the wave of assassinations, and had previously left Yemen for Sudan for approximately three years to escape these threats. Despite receiving repeated threats from "thugs" (balatiqa) at his school and his diligence in staying away from political activity—restricting his work to the school to avoid being a target—he was nevertheless directly targeted and assassinated.

His family stated that they possess surveillance camera footage and have handed over a copy to the security services. Local testimonies also indicated that the school's surveillance cameras documented the moment of the attack, and that security authorities have begun investigation procedures and established a security cordon around the crime scene.

SAM affirmed that the assassination of an educational and civilian figure such as Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Shaer, while on his way to his school, cannot be regarded merely as an individual act of murder, but rather constitutes a grave act of intimidation targeting civil society and the educational sector in Aden. The organization stressed that the authorities must treat this crime as a real test of their ability to protect the right to life, rather than as another passing incident to be added to the record of unresolved assassinations.

The organization further emphasized the urgent need for the security and judicial authorities in Aden to immediately secure and preserve surveillance camera footage from the school and its surroundings, protect the crime scene from tampering, collect projectiles and forensic evidence, hear testimonies from witnesses, paramedics, and school staff, track the vehicle used in the attack, and publish the investigation’s findings to the public within a clear timeframe. It also stressed that the investigation must cover all levels of responsibility, including the direct perpetrators, instigators, financiers, and anyone who facilitated or provided protection to the perpetrators.

SAM also affirmed that the killing of Dr. Al-Shaer, based on the facts as recounted by witnesses, constitutes a grave violation of the right to life and personal security. It pointed out that under international human rights law, the authorities exercising effective control bear the responsibility to prevent unlawful killings, protect civilians, and conduct effective investigations into cases of arbitrary deprivation of life. The organization underscored that merely announcing the opening of an investigation or imposing a security cordon is insufficient; rather, the investigation must be independent, prompt, comprehensive, evidence-based, and capable of identifying and holding those responsible accountable.

Tawfiq Al-Humaidi, President of SAM, said:
“Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Shaer’s blood must not become just another number in a long record of unresolved crimes. Justice in this case is not only a family demand, but a fundamental condition for restoring public trust in the rule of law and preventing Aden from returning to an era of fear and assassinations.”

The organization noted that the assassination of Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Shaer comes within a broader context of growing concern over the authorities’ failure to uncover the perpetrators in previous assassination cases and hold those responsible accountable. It added that this failure has contributed to entrenching a climate of impunity and has sent a dangerous message that assassination remains a possible tool for spreading fear, eliminating opponents, or weakening civic life in the city.

SAM further explained that treating this crime as an isolated incident, or limiting the response to temporary security measures, would only deepen residents’ fears of Aden’s return to the waves of assassinations witnessed during the years of conflict, when religious, security, political, and civilian figures were targeted amid a clear lack of accountability and the absence of announced results in many of those cases.

SAM calls on the authorities in Aden to:

• Launch an urgent, independent, and transparent criminal investigation into the assassination of Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Shaer;

• Secure surveillance footage and all material evidence related to the crime;

• Protect the victim’s family, witnesses, and school staff from any threats or pressure;

• Publicly announce preliminary findings without unjustified delay;

• Prosecute the perpetrators, instigators, and financiers in accordance with fair trial standards;

• Take serious measures to prevent the return of assassinations in Aden, including arms control and holding accountable groups or individuals involved in organized violence.