Dozens of abducted civilians, most of whom are academics, journalists, and students, are held at Political Security prison in Sana’a, which is controlled by Houthi armed group. Those abductees are often subjected to physical and psychological torture. Abductees’ family visits were prevented for a week. Yet, prison wardens have prevented some abductees from their visits for two more weeks. Abductees are not provided with the needed food and medicine, and their families are not allowed to deliver them to prison either. Houthis confiscated all abductees’ belongings, including clothes, mattresses, blankets, medications, and painkillers. Asking for medicine, in that prison, is considered a crime punished by shackling. Those who try to help their shackled cellmates are severely tortured. Sunlight exposure is prohibited which has resulted in the spread of different skin diseases and infections. Abductees have been suffering from different types of psychological torture and humiliations seeing their families, especially mothers, insulted during their visits.
We, Abductees’ Mothers Association, call upon Yemeni public and those who are concerned with and responsible for protecting human rights to save our abducted sons who are suffering inside Political Security prison in Sana’a.
We, also, call upon the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Sana’a to stand by our cause and help release our abducted sons unconditionally. Furthermore, we call on the Red Cross to visit Political Security prison, meet with abductees, understand their suffering, and work to regain their human rights.
Finally, we call upon the legitimate government to carry out its duties and responsibilities towards the abductees and overcome the ongoing stalemate in implementing Stockholm agreement which would end the suffering. The abductees’ matter has been prolonged and manipulated for a long time. All agreements regarding the abductees have failed without taking any consideration of what abductees are going through and how abductions and enforced disappearances are widely affecting mothers, families, and generally people.
Issued by Abductees’ Mothers Association
April 1st, 2019