“We were visiting my grandfather in Sana’a during vacation. When the vacation ended, we went back to Mareb, where my father lives as a refugee. We took the road through Al Jawf on our return to Mareb, and we were stopped in a checkpoint in Al Jawf by armed Houthi fighters.
I was with my three young sisters in a taxi with two other ladies.
This was in May 2019, and we were detained from 9 am until 12 am, and we did not have food or water during this whole period. It was very hot at the time, and we kept beginning them to allow us to pass and continue our trip, but they refused.
They used disgusting language with us, and they threatened to rape us. They told us ‘You get to enjoy your vacation in Sana’a, then you go back to Mareb when it is time to go back to school.
We will punish you by detaining you in the Rada’a Fortress, and then we will return you to Sana’a.’
We were afraid and started crying. After many attempts and intervention by others, we were allowed to continue our trip to Mareb City