Human Rights Report Documents 1,893 Cases of Torture in Houthi Prisons Over Nine Years
Yemen Monitor / Newsroom:
The Yemeni Network for Rights and Freedoms stated that it has documented 1,893 cases of torture inside prisons and detention centers of the Houthi group, including cases that resulted in death or permanent injuries, during the period from the beginning of 2018 to the beginning of 2026, across 15 Yemeni governorates.
The report, which the network issued to coincide with the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture on June 26, indicated that among the victims were 117 children, 43 women, and 89 elderly individuals who, according to the report, were subjected to various forms of physical and psychological torture inside detention facilities.
According to the network, torture contributed to the deaths of 394 detainees, including children, women, and the elderly, while 32 cases of physical liquidation inside prisons and 79 deaths resulting from medical neglect were documented. This is in addition to 31 deaths due to heart attacks, as well as recorded suicide cases that it stated were linked to the conditions of detention and torture.
The report added that 218 detainees suffered permanent disabilities, including cases of paralysis, loss of sight or hearing, along with chronic diseases and health and psychological disorders. Meanwhile, more than 1,300 people, according to the network, were subjected to cruel treatment and physical and psychological torture during their detention.
The network mentioned that the Houthi group operates, according to its documentation, 739 prisons and detention centers, including 382 official prisons and 357 secret detention centers, in addition to detention facilities inside government buildings, military sites, and other headquarters.
The report accused the group of using torture systematically to extract forced confessions or punish detainees based on political or intellectual backgrounds, stressing that what has been documented represents only a portion of the true scale of violations, given the inability to access a number of detention locations.
The Yemeni Network for Rights and Freedoms called on the United Nations, international organizations, and the Human Rights Council to open an independent international investigation into the violations contained in the report, hold those responsible accountable, work toward the release of abductees and those forcibly disappeared, and ensure justice for the victims and their families.
