On World Mental Health Day, we bring attention to the severe psychological abuses inflicted on our abducted sons, who endure systematic mental torture, leaving them in tragic mental states. They are subjected to harsh methods in the prisons of the Houthi group and other conflict parties, including prolonged solitary confinement, continuous threats of death or harm to their families, and detention with individuals suffering from mental disorders or in dark cells for months, which exacerbates their suffering.
One of our sons, Helmi Mahmoud Humaidan, 27, has been held captive since 2020 in the Central Security prison in Sana’a. His case exemplifies the extreme psychological trauma experienced by the abductees. Due to prolonged detention and systematic physical and psychological torture, Helmi has fallen into severe mental distress, rendered speechless from the repeated traumas he has endured during these years of captivity. His family desperately appeals for his unconditional release and immediate medical care.
We, at the Abductees’ Mothers Association, emphasize that this suffering extends not only to the abductees but also to their families, who live in constant fear and anxiety. Many family members, including children, suffer from psychological disorders such as trauma, depression, and chronic stress due to the uncertainty surrounding their loved ones’ fates.
Through the testimonies of families and survivors, we have witnessed the devastating psychological effects on the abductees, including signs of isolation, intense fear, claustrophobia, sleep disorders, and a pervasive sense of insecurity. These symptoms reflect the deep psychological pain that the abductees endure every day.
We strongly condemn the severe violations inflicted on our abductees, forcibly disappeared, and arbitrarily detained sons. We hold all responsible parties fully accountable for their safety and well-being in all prisons.
On this day, we call on the international community and human rights organizations to take immediate action to end these horrific violations and provide psychological support for the abductees and their families. True mental health and human dignity can only be realized when this systematic psychological violence is stopped.
Issued by the Abductees’ Mothers Association
Thursday, October 10, 2024