Government Investigation Committee Reviews Conditions of Detainees in Marib, Conducts Field Visit to Prison

Yemen Monitor – Newsroom:

The National Commission of Inquiry (government-affiliated) into alleged human rights violations held extensive meetings on Wednesday with local, judicial, and security leaders in Marib Governorate, as part of its efforts to assess prison conditions and strengthen principles of justice and the rule of law.

Commission member Mohammed Talyan, accompanied by a field team, met with Marib Deputy Governor for Defense and Security Affairs Major General Nasser Raqeeb, along with several judicial and security officials, to discuss issues related to the human rights situation in the governorate. Discussions focused on improving the performance of judicial enforcement bodies and ensuring that violators are referred to the competent judicial authorities in accordance with legal procedures.

The commission expressed appreciation for the cooperation of the local authority leadership and its responsiveness to observations raised during previous visits, stressing that such cooperation facilitates access to victims, improves detainees’ conditions, and strengthens the enforcement of the law.

For his part, Major General Nasser Raqeeb reviewed the local authority’s efforts to maintain security and stability and protect citizens, emphasizing its commitment to safeguarding human rights and its readiness to provide the necessary support to enable the commission to carry out its duties.

He also directed security agencies to fully cooperate with the commission, provide information related to detainees, their conditions of detention, and law enforcement mechanisms, and address any existing shortcomings.

Following the meetings, the commission’s team — accompanied by Marib Appeals Prosecution Head Judge Aref Al-Mikhlafi and Marib Police Director Major General Yahya Humaid — conducted a field visit to the central remand prison, which holds 231 detainees pending investigation and trial. The team reviewed inmates’ conditions and the level of services provided.

The team also listened to testimonies from several detainees regarding their cases and needs, verified compliance of detention procedures with humanitarian standards, national laws, and international conventions, and documented a number of requests related to improving healthcare and social services, as well as expediting the adjudication of pending cases.