This came in a statement by the “National Committee to investigate allegations of human rights violations”, backed by the United Nations, about its work during the past year.
Approximately 3,000 violations
The committee said that it monitored and investigated 2,842 incidents of violations that occurred in various Yemeni governorates, in which 4,096 victims of both sexes and of all ages were affected, including 1,237 deaths and injuries as a result of targeting civilians by Houthi militias, including 403 dead, including 30 women and 48 children, as well as 768 Among the wounded, 85 were women and 167 were children.
The statement pointed out that 296 casualties were recorded as a result of the explosion of mines and explosive devices, including 17 women and 35 children, and 1158 incidents of arbitrary arrest, enforced disappearance and torture were recorded, 23 archaeological and religious sites were targeted, 15 attacks on medical personnel, facilities and health facilities, and the destruction of 580 public and private buildings. 17 schools for children, and 122 cases of recruitment of children under the age of 15 were monitored.
The statement pointed out that the commission’s field team documented the bombing of 60 homes, the displacement of 106 cases, and the monitoring and investigation of 69 incidents of extrajudicial killing, during which the commission heard more than 8,526 witnesses, whistleblowers and victims of various types of human rights violations that occurred in the majority of Yemeni governorates.
Enforced disappearance, torture and displacement
The statement confirmed that the members of the committee carried out 15 field tours in the directorates of the governorates of Taiz, Lahj, Marib, Shabwa, Hadramawt and Hodeidah to investigate the incidents of targeting residential neighborhoods and the fall of various projectiles on residential neighborhoods, schools and medical facilities, and to listen to a number of victims and eyewitnesses, in addition to the almost daily visits of field researchers in 18 governorates. To conduct direct interviews with victims, their families and eyewitnesses.
She pointed out that during the year 2021, the committee held a number of public and closed hearings for victims of enforced disappearance, torture, gender-based violence, forced displacement, journalists and children.
The Commission renewed its continuation to investigate human rights violations, as it has pursued since the beginning of its work, in accordance with the international standards in force by the commissions of inquiry, calling on all parties to the conflict to abide by the principles of international humanitarian law and human rights law, which include ensuring, respecting and protecting human rights without any discrimination, and prohibiting all forms of discrimination. Violations of the right of civilians to life, physical and psychological integrity, and the failure to target and attack civilian, educational and medical objects that are indispensable to citizens.
The committee expressed its condemnation of all arbitrary arrests and restrictions on freedoms and the expansion of the use of solitary confinement, and the exposure of activists and journalists to intimidation, threats, imprisonment and illegal trial, noting that the year 2021 witnessed a significant increase in the volume of human rights violations.
Reclassified as terrorist
Yemeni writer and political analyst, Mueen Al-Sayadi, said that the past year witnessed the cancellation of the terrorist designation of Al-Houthi by the administration of US President Joe Biden, which considered it a green light to persist in its violations against civilians.
Al-Sayadi added, in statements to “Sky News Arabia”, that the cancellation of the decision encouraged the militias to commit more deadly crimes, as they doubled down on the prosecution of opponents, politicians and media professionals and intensified their hysterical military attacks on Yemen’s Marib, Hodeidah, Al-Jawf, Al-Dhalea and southern Saudi Arabia, in addition to their refusal to pay the salaries of employees in areas Its control and seizure of the revenues of the port of Hodeidah and the imposition of mandatory semi-weekly levies for the establishment of sectarian activities.
He stressed the need to continue exposing the crimes of the organization and pressure for the US administration to resume the decision, as it is very important, and the same should be put on the Security Council table, if there is a desire to lay an appropriate ground that leads to a comprehensive peace.
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