Rights Group Calls for Release of Detained Academics in Yemen, Documents Killing of 33 Professors During the War
Yemen Monitor – Newsroom:
Rights Radar for Human Rights, based in Hague, issued a report documenting serious violations suffered by Yemeni academics during the past decade of armed conflict. The organization stressed the need for the immediate release of all academics detained because of their opinions, academic activities, or political affiliations, while ensuring their physical and psychological safety.
The report, titled “War Against Minds”, recorded the killing of 33 academics from public and private universities, along with their assistants and holders of advanced degrees. It also documented injuries to 98 others, including nine women, across 12 Yemeni governorates between September 2014 and December 2024.
The report highlights the importance of shedding light on these violations, which have made academics a target for score-settling among local conflict parties, resulting in significant loss of life and a negative impact on the stability of the educational process and the output of Yemeni universities.
Field data collected by the organization shows how these violations have inflicted severe damage on Yemen’s education sector, especially amid the ongoing conflict.
In its statement, Rights Radar emphasized that protecting academics and ensuring their freedom of expression are essential pillars for safeguarding the future of education in Yemen.
The organization called on all parties to the conflict to respect academics’ rights and refrain from arresting or targeting them.
It further stressed the need for international intervention to pressure for an end to these practices, which undermine educational development and social security in the country.
