The Transitional Justice Ambassadors Forum held a virtual discussion session focused on national reconciliation opportunities and mechanisms for implementing transitional justice in Yemen. The event brought together human rights advocates, activists, and legal experts as part of the Abductees’ Mothers Association’s ongoing efforts to raise public awareness about transitional justice and to protect victims’ rights.
Opening the session, Judge Ishraq Al-Maqtari, who facilitated the discussion, emphasized that addressing reconciliation has become an urgent necessity amid current debates on transitional justice, particularly following the release of the UN Security Council Panel of Experts report. She highlighted the importance of drawing on diverse experiences from the field and civil society organizations.
For her part, the representative of the Abductees’ Mothers Association outlined the forum’s goals, noting that it now includes 240 members, among them victims, survivors, journalists, and human rights defenders. The discussion centered on the need to ensure the inclusion of all victims, rather than limiting accountability to specific political periods. Participants also stressed the importance of using past national documents, such as the Document of Pledge and Accord and the Gulf Initiative, as reference points for any future justice process.
The need to move beyond “victor’s justice”
Dr. Adel observed that Yemen suffers from a “phobia of transitional justice” due to previous failed experiences. He called for shifting from a system of retribution or victor’s justice to one of genuine justice based on practical measures, including compensation, reparations, and the integration of victims’ rights into any future political agreement.
He cited international examples from Argentina, Rwanda, and Chile, illustrating how victims’ movements helped advance truth-seeking and accountability even many years after conflicts had ended.
Challenges of implementing justice amid ongoing war
Several participants expressed concerns about the difficulty of applying transitional justice while the war continues, state institutions remain weak, the judiciary is divided, and trust among parties is lacking.
Speakers noted that the absence of political will after 2011 contributed to the failure of earlier justice efforts, and that delayed redress for victims has prolonged the current conflict. The division of the judiciary and interference by armed groups have further undermined justice mechanisms and obstructed any judicial path toward accountability.
Justice is not conditional on the end of war
Despite these challenges, participants affirmed that transitional justice should not be postponed until after the war. Parallel steps’ such as documentation, psychosocial and social support, and reparations’ can begin immediately.
They emphasized that continuous documentation and advocacy will build a solid foundation for post-settlement justice and help prevent the erasure of victims’ rights.
Drawing from international experiences suited to Yemen
The session also examined ways to learn from successful or partial international experiences in transitional justice, while developing a context-specific Yemeni model that respects local social dynamics and upholds victims’ rights.
Grassroots initiatives on the ground
Participants highlighted local reconciliation efforts, including the return of seized homes to their owners in Taiz and other restorative justice initiatives involving compensation and reconciliation between military actors and families of marginalized victims. These were recognized as concrete examples showing that peacebuilding begins with tangible humanitarian actions, even before the war ends.
The session concluded with several key recommendations, including:
-Making transitional justice a top priority in any future peace negotiations or political settlements;
-Reforming judicial institutions and ensuring safeguards against impunity;
-Affirming that justice and reconciliation are inseparable paths; and
-Recognizing that protecting victims’ rights is the foundation of any sustainable Yemeni reconciliation that prevents the recurrence of past atrocities.
