Rights Report Reveals Secrets of “Waddah Hall” Secret Prison in Aden and Documents Grave Violations
Yemen Monitor / Newsroom:
A joint report issued by the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies and the Abductees’ Mothers Association has revealed the involvement of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) militias in managing a secret detention center in the city of Aden known as “Waddah Hall” prison, considering it part of a wider network of secret prisons scattered across the country.
The report explained that the militias, which exercise de facto authority there, had long denied the existence of these centers before recently beginning to acknowledge them. This shift comes against the backdrop of the political and military division between the STC and the internationally recognized Yemeni government, which erupted in December 2025 and led to military escalation and regional interventions.
The report was based on 30 interviews with families of former and current detainees, documenting at least 18 cases of enforced disappearance—some dating back to 2016—in addition to a widespread pattern of arbitrary arrests, torture, deprivation of medical care, and violation of legal guarantees inside Waddah Hall. According to testimonies, arrests are carried out by masked gunmen without judicial warrants, amid threats to families against inquiring about the fate of their relatives.
Former detainees confirmed they were subjected to torture, including electric shocks, suspension, and strangulation, and were forced to provide coerced confessions used to extend detention periods or transfer them to other centers. The report noted that Waddah Hall is located in the Gold Mohur area of the Tawahi district in Aden, inside a camp belonging to what is known as the “Counter-Terrorism Unit,” near the headquarters of the STC leadership, and is managed by forces supported and funded by the United Arab Emirates.
The report warned that this support has contributed to consolidating a parallel system of repression outside judicial oversight and exacerbated the fragmentation of Yemeni institutions. At the same time, it emphasized that responsibility for violations is not limited to one party, as similar violations have been documented in areas under the control of other parties, including forces belonging to the internationally recognized government.
In a related context, the report pointed to the announcement by Rashad al-Alimi, head of the Presidential Leadership Council, in January 2026, regarding the closure of all secret prisons in southern Yemen. He called for the immediate and transparent implementation of the decision, revealing the fate of detainees, and opening independent investigations to ensure the accountability of those responsible without exception.
Cairo Institute and the Abductees’ Mothers Association called for the closure of Waddah Hall and all secret detention centers, ensuring the release of detainees or their referral to independent courts, and allowing international bodies and independent observers access to detention sites. The report urged the international community, particularly the UN Human Rights Council, to reactivate independent investigations and preserve evidence to ensure the right of victims and their families to truth, justice, and reparations.
