While thousands around the world die as a result of Covid-19 pandemic, Yemen works, as part of the international community, to stop its widespread. We, at Abductees’ Mothers Association, are aware of the danger abductees face at prisons and detention centres, where no healthcare is provided, no measures are taken to protect or heal abductees, and there is no medical staff to serve abductees. Painkillers are the only form of medicine prison administrations provide detainees with. Additionally, prisons and detention centres are not equipped with personal nor general hygiene facilities. Abductees has a little access to clean water and proper food, which, as well as being subjected to systematic psychological torture, weaken their immune system.
Around Yemen, there are 173 abductees who suffer chronic diseases. This figure is divided around governorates as follows; 57 in Amant AlAsemah, 45 in Al-Hudaydah, 23 in Hajjah, 21 in Taiz, 10 in Ibb, 10 in Aden, 5 in Dhamar, and 2 in Ma’rib. Those abductees will be facing the gravest danger in case Covid-19 spreads in Yemen.
Facing such danger, and with prison administrations preventing visits as a measure to stop the spread in prisons, the association calls upon Houthi armed group, Yemeni government, and military organizations in Aden to urgently release all sick abductees, detainees, and forcibly disappeared persons from all prisons in Yemen, and not wait on the processes that prolong releasing abductees.
We call upon the United Nations, Special Envoy, IRC, OHCHR, local and international human rights organizations to support our demands as part of Houthi promises of release abductees, declaring cease fire amid Covid-19 widespread by Yemeni legitimate government. That will make a big step towards releasing all abductees, detainees, and forcibly disappeared persons.
Our prayers go for the whole world to survive the Covid-19 pandemic.
Issued by Abductees’ Mothers Association, Sana’a
March 26th, 2020