Two years have passed by and the people of Al-Hudaydah are experiencing a greater suffering of abduction, enforced disappearance, and torture by Houthi armed group.
Since the beginning of the armed clashes in Al-Khokha province, the number of the abductees has increased to more than 200, increasing the number of devastated families. A lot of those abductees have been transferred to Sana’a and prevented from family visits or even contacting their relatives.
Secret detention centers and prisons have been set up for the purpose of extorting abductees and their families. Some abductees have been starved and prevented from using the necessary winter clothes and blankets in prison, forcing families to pay huge sums in hope of providing their abducted sons with food, clothes, and blankets.
We, abductees’ mothers, are suffering the displacement due to armed clashes in Al-Hudayda. Yet, our suffering grew much bigger by the news of bringing 9 of our abducted sons to court which conflicts with Stockholm agreement that guarantees freedom for all abductees and enforced disappeared individuals.
We call for the immediate and unconditional release of our abducted and forcibly hidden sons. Here, we place our suffering, our sons’ freedom, and our sons’ lives before the United Nations and its Special Envoy in order to help release and protect our sons.
We, once again, hold Houthi armed group responsible for the lives and safety of our abducted and forcibly hidden sons.
Issued by Abductees’ Mothers Association – Al-Khokha, Al-Hudaydah
January 21st, 2019