Rights Organizations Demand Houthis Immediately Release Lawyer Abdul Majeed Sabra
Yemen Monitor/Newsroom:
Several non-governmental organizations have called on the Houthi group to immediately and unconditionally release the prominent human rights lawyer Abdul Majeed Sabra, who has been arbitrarily detained since September 25, 2025, in the capital, Sana’a.
One of his relatives reported that Sabra was arrested after his office in the Shumila area was stormed by armed Houthi forces and armed individuals in civilian clothes. His place of detention has not been disclosed so far.
Sabra’s arrest came due to his social media posts commemorating the anniversary of the September 26 Revolution, a date opposed by the Houthis, who prefer to celebrate September 21, which marks their takeover of Sana’a.
Sources confirmed that this arrest is part of a broader campaign carried out by the Houthis in the northern provinces, where the arrest wave included dozens of people who peacefully celebrated the September 26 anniversary or posted related content on social media platforms.
Abdul Majeed Sabra is one of the most prominent lawyers defending human rights in Yemen. His Facebook page has been used to defend fundamental rights and publish updates on the human rights cases he is working on.
His family has been unable to contact him since his arrest, raising concerns that he may be subjected to enforced disappearance, a grave violation of international law.
The organizations demanded that the Houthis release Sabra and all those detained for their peaceful exercise of their human rights, including the dozens of UN staff and civil society members who were arrested and forcibly disappeared during 2024 and 2025.
The organizations emphasized the necessity of respecting human rights, freedom of expression, assembly, and association, and ensuring the protection of human rights defenders, journalists, and activists from any retaliation or judicial harassment.
