Human Rights Organization Reveals Houthi Arrest of 138 Civilians, Including Children, in Dhamar
Yemen Monitor / Newsroom:
Rights Radar for Human Rights, based in The Hague, revealed that the Houthi group has carried out arrest campaigns targeting around 138 civilians across various areas of Dhamar Governorate since last September, including four children.
The organization said in a statement received by Yemen Monitor that about 85 individuals remain forcibly disappeared, while 25 others continue to be held in multiple prisons, and only 28 have been released. It noted that most of those detained are former local authority officials, elderly individuals, and people with chronic illnesses.
According to the organization, the arrest of civilians constitutes a violation of Yemeni law and international conventions—particularly those related to the protection of individuals from enforced disappearance, including the Four Geneva Conventions and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Rights Radar confirmed that these arrests are largely politically motivated, with pre-assigned charges against the victims. It noted that 52 individuals were arrested in connection with the anniversary celebrations of the September 26 Revolution, while 86 others were detained on political grounds.
The organization explained that the arrests spanned all districts of Dhamar, with Al-Hadda area recording the highest number with 29 cases, followed by the governorate center with 26, then Jabal Al-Sharq with 16, Jahran with 11, Maghrab Ans with 6, Dhur’an Ans with 5, Al-Manar with 3, and Ans with 3 cases. It also recorded two cases in Utmah, five in the two districts of Wasab, and the arrest of 31 other civilians from the governorate in areas outside Dhamar but still under Houthi control.
The organization stated that dozens of detainees remain forcibly disappeared, with their families still unable to contact them, and that the Houthi group has not responded to humanitarian appeals to release the detainees or allow family visits.
Rights Radar called on the Houthis to immediately release all detainees, disclose the fate of the forcibly disappeared, and guarantee their legal and humanitarian rights.
It also held the group fully responsible for their safety and urged the international community to intervene promptly to secure their release and put an end to the pursuit and arrest campaigns targeting civilians in Dhamar and other governorates.
