The Abductees’ Mothers Association, in cooperation with SAM for Rights and Liberties, both members of the Justice for Yemen Pact Coalition, organized an online seminar titled:
“Transitional Justice Approaches in Yemen: Tribal Customs and the Legal Context.” The seminar was held as part of the SPARK Project, with support from the DT Institute, and brought together a group of judges, legal experts, and academics.
In her opening remarks, journalist Shurooq Al-Qasimi emphasized the importance of building genuine societal awareness of transitional justice processes and the need to involve the voices of victims and civil society in the national conversation.
For his part, Tawfiq Al-Humaidi, head of SAM, stated that transitional justice in Yemen is no longer a theoretical luxury but has become a pressing national need to prevent the repetition of past violations. He stressed that justice processes must be approached from the perspective of victims rather than victors.
Judge Mohammed Hammoud Al-Hitar noted that transitional justice is not limited to judicial accountability but also includes uncovering the truth, providing reparations, and reforming institutions. He criticized the politicization of the judiciary and its division between Sana’a and Aden, which has weakened public trust in the justice system.
Dr. Adel Dashela affirmed that tribal customs play a significant role in the absence of state institutions, but emphasized the need to regulate and develop these customs, especially in sensitive matters such as women’s issues and sexual violence. He warned that neglecting tribal customs could weaken any future justice initiative.
At the conclusion of the seminar, participants unanimously agreed that peace in Yemen cannot be achieved without a national transitional justice project, one that addresses violations with courage, rebuilds the social contract, and prevents justice from being used as a tool of vengeance by the victors.