Today, mothers of people subjected to enforced disappearance in Aden stand with hearts weighed down by years of waiting. Their voices carry the pain of families deprived of one of their most basic human rights: the right to know the fate of their sons, daughters, and loved ones.
At this gathering, the Abductees’ Mothers Association raises its voice against the crime of enforced disappearance, whose consequences do not end with the disappearance of the victim. They extend to families, children, and parents, leaving them trapped in a cycle of anxiety, pain, and uncertainty.
According to the Abductees’ Mothers Association’s documentation, 143 people remain forcibly disappeared by the Houthi group, while 78 others remain forcibly disappeared in Aden. They continue to be denied communication with their families, as well as legal protection and the safeguards guaranteed by law. For years, their families have lived in the hope that the day will come when their fate is revealed and they return safely to their homes and loved ones.
The continued disappearance of these individuals and the denial of their families’ right to know their whereabouts and condition constitute serious violations of fundamental rights and freedoms. They also deepen the suffering of victims and their families and undermine the rule of law and justice.
Therefore, we demand:
First : The relevant authorities must immediately disclose the fate of all persons subjected to enforced disappearance, reveal their places of detention, and enable their families to communicate with them and verify their safety.
Second : All those detained outside the framework of the law must be released without conditions and in accordance with due judicial procedures.
Third : Independent and transparent investigations must be opened into all cases of enforced disappearance, those responsible must be identified, and anyone proven to have committed, participated in or concealed these crimes must be held accountable.
Fourth : Human rights organizations and relevant international bodies must be granted access to detention facilities to verify the conditions of detainees and persons subjected to enforced disappearance and to establish their whereabouts and fate.
Fifth : We call on the United Nations and relevant international human rights bodies to fulfill their responsibilities regarding the issue of enforced disappearance in Yemen and to exert greater pressure to establish the fate of those who remain missing and bring this humanitarian tragedy to an end.
We reaffirm that families’ right to know the fate of their loved ones is not a demand that can be postponed or used as a bargaining tool. The suffering of mothers must not remain merely a statistic in reports; it is a matter of justice and a fundamental human right that must be upheld to end their ordeal.
As we condemn the continued stalling over the cases of those subjected to enforced disappearance, we reiterate that we will not remain silent as long as even one person remains forcibly disappeared with an unknown fate. The voices of mothers will not cease until the fate of their loved ones is revealed, their rights are restored, and everyone who committed, participated in or concealed the crime of enforced disappearance is held accountable.
Issued by the Abductees’ Mothers Association – Aden
Wednesday, August 26, 2026