Mothers of Detainees Warn Against Erasing Evidence of “Secret Prisons” in Southern and Eastern Provinces
Yemen Monitor / Newsroom:
The Association of Mothers of Abductees and Forcibly Disappeared Persons has warned against the destruction of evidence related to “secret prisons” in Aden and the southern and eastern provinces of Yemen—areas previously under the control of the (dissolved) STC with UAE support.
In a formal statement, the Association demanded clear guarantees to reveal the fate of victims and to preserve evidence that incriminates those involved in these “grave crimes” within secret detention centers.
The Association emphasized that closing secret prisons without independent judicial oversight, and without enabling families to access the truth, represents a direct threat to the rights of the victims. The statement described such steps as an “attempt to erase evidence of torture and enforced disappearance, opening the door to impunity for the perpetrators.”
Furthermore, the Association revealed that it has documented harrowing testimonies regarding a network of secret prisons and informal detention sites in Aden, Mukalla, Seiyun, and Socotra. These testimonies, provided by survivors, included shocking details.
The Association held the STC forces, backed by the UAE, fully legally responsible for the lives and safety of the disappeared. It noted that testimonies confirm the participation of both Emirati soldiers and Yemeni fighters in detention and interrogation operations.
The statement concluded by stressing that these practices constitute a flagrant violation of the Yemeni Constitution and international human rights obligations, foremost among them the prohibition of torture.
