Yemen Monitor / Sana’a / Exclusive:
Sources report that the armed Houthi group has arrested members of the General People’s Congress (GPC) party and imposed strict surveillance on most of its leaders in Sana’a and neighboring governorates.
On Wednesday, sources told “Yemen Monitor” about the arrest of the GPC Secretary-General, Ghazi Al-Ahwal, and a number of other party leaders. By Thursday, sources said the campaign was ongoing, with Houthis forcing the families of those detained not to speak until their imminent release.
More than 24 hours after Al-Ahwal’s arrest, GPC leaders in Sana’a have refused to issue a statement clarifying the nature of the campaign targeting its leadership.
Over the past two days, the Houthis have abducted nearly 25 first and second-tier party leaders in Sana’a and surrounding governorates. In recent weeks, they also arrested more than 70 members of the GPC and the Yemeni Islah Party in Sana’a, Ibb, Dhamar, and Al Mahweet.
A source from the GPC’s Standing Committee in Sana’a told “Yemen Monitor” on Thursday evening that the Houthis are imposing severe restrictions on the party’s leaders, including its president Sadiq Amin Abu Rass and his deputy Yahya Al-Ra’i, who is also the Speaker of the House of Representatives in Sana’a.
According to the source, the arrested leaders are accused by the Houthis of complicity in treason and communicating with the son of the former Yemeni president, Ahmed Ali Abdullah Saleh. Saleh was sentenced to death by a Houthi-affiliated military court last July.
The Houthis are demanding that the GPC remove Ahmed Ali Abdullah Saleh from his position as the party’s deputy head. The GPC leadership continues to refuse, despite having agreed to cancel the founding anniversary celebrations scheduled for August 24 in Sana’a and other governorates.
Sources said that the Houthis have enforced tight surveillance, increased the presence of their armed men, and distributed weapons in the residential areas of the party’s leadership. They also banned leaders from holding any social gatherings.
The Standing Committee source added that “the Houthis are deliberately humiliating and degrading the GPC leadership. Although the leadership has made a wise decision to avoid confrontation, the continued pressure could lead to an explosion.”
The sources declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the issue and their lack of authorization to speak to the media.
