Prompted by the armed clashes in Sa’ada as well as the protests in southern provinces, routine violations of civil and political rights have been on rise, according to Amnesty International report on Yemen.

These violations impacted negatively economic and social aspects of people’s lives. These violations include torturing, ill-treatment, death sentences and flogging.

Under Sa’ada war that renewed early in 2008 and involving the Yemeni army and Houthi loyalists, security forces carried out mass arrests and hundreds of civilians were reportedly killed and some 30,000 locals internally displaced because of the ongoing violence.

Further, government denied journalists and almost all independent observers access to the province and maintained a high degree of censorship, so few details emerged during the first six months of the clashes.

Killings by security forces

There have been unconfirmed reports of extrajudicial executions by security forces in the context of the violence in Sa’ada. People alleged to be armed members of Al-Qaeda were also killed in unclear circumstances while reportedly resisting arrest. 

According to the report, security forces shot dead Walid Salih ‘Ubadi and another person while they were in a peaceful demonstration in Al-Dali’ in support of the retired soldiers.

Eight other demonstrators were wounded. The incident was reportedly under investigation, but the outcome was not known. Similarly, in October, security forces killed four protesters at a peaceful demonstration in Radfan and wounded 15 others.

The report added that hundreds of people were arrested over suspecting them to be Houthi followers or linked with Al-Qaeda wing in Yemen. They are held without charges or trail, with some denied visits by their families.

‘War on terror’         

Five Gemto detainees were released by the U.S. authorities; however, the Yemeni authorities detained them upon arrival and later set free without directing any charges to them, maintained the report.

 Moreover, over 109 people tried before the State Specialized Penal and two tried before ordinary criminal courts did not receive fair trials.

Freedom of expression

The report revealed that the new press and printing law due to be announced by Information Ministry would further restrict press freedom and prohibit publication of information under several pretexts like harming the national unity and security.  

It continued that vague concepts such as national security and national stability had routinely been invoked as justification for restriction of press freedom and punishment of journalists. Journalists were harassed and websites were blocked and censored.

Women continued to face discrimination and violence at the hands of both state and non-state actors, including rape and other sexual violence, and trafficking. Such abuses were particularly severe in rural areas, where 80 per cent of women live, girls generally have less access to education than boys, and women are particularly vulnerable to economic hardship.

The report point out as well the torture and ill-treatment in Yemeni prisons by security agencies including beatings with fists, sticks and rifle butts; scalding with hot water; tight handcuffs; prolonged blindfolding; denial of water and access to a toilet; and death threats. It is also mentioned some instances of cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment.