Rights Group: Houthis Kidnapped Over 230 Citizens During September Celebrations
Yemen Monitor / Newsroom:
The National Commission for Prisoners and Abductees has documented a widespread wave of kidnappings carried out by the Houthi group during the Yemeni celebrations of the September 26 Revolution anniversary. The campaign targeted more than 238 citizens across several governorates under Houthi control.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Commission reported that the abductions included:
- 75 citizens in Dhamar
- 38 in Ibb
- 36 in Al Mahwit
- 29 in Amran
- 24 in Sana’a
- 22 in Al Bayda
- 7 in the Capital Secretariat (Sana’a City)
- 7 in Marib
The Commission noted that statistics for the remaining governorates are still being documented.
The Commission explained that the campaign was launched because citizens participated in peaceful celebratory events marking the Revolution. These activities included raising national flags, setting off fireworks, lighting fires on high ground, or expressing pride in the Revolution via social media.
The Commission deemed these practices a flagrant violation of the Yemeni Constitution and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which guarantee the freedoms of opinion, expression, and peaceful assembly. The group holds the Houthi militias fully responsible for the safety of the abductees and the forcibly disappeared.
The Commission called for the immediate and unconditional release of all abductees. It also demanded that the United Nations, the Office of the UN Special Envoy, and international human rights organizations condemn these violations and pressure the Houthis to halt their oppressive practices and release all arbitrarily detained prisoners and detainees.
