Yemen: More than 3,500 forcibly disappeared persons in Houthi prisons
Deputy Justice Ministry of Yemen, Faisal Al-Majidi, said yesterday that there are more than 3,500 forcibly disappeared Yemenis in Houthi prisons
Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hadath TV reported Al-Majidi saying that 3,544 cases of enforced disappearance had been documented and their files were sent to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC)
Al-Majidi said they include 72 children and 17 women, stressing that the real number of forcibly disappeared persons is much higher
The Yemeni official called for the families of the victims to file complaints to the public prosecution to hold those responsible to account, in particular the head of the Houthi militia Abdel-Malik Al-Houthi
Meanwhile, Majidi accused the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, of turning a blind eye to the rights of the forcibly disappeared persons as he is trying to promote their file as a political issue not a human rights one
He also expressed his disappointment with all the UN organisations which maintain Griffiths’ stance
Since a deal was made to exchange 15,000 prisoners and forcibly disappeared persons was reached between the Yemeni government and the Houthis in 2018, no progress has been made
Sunday marks the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances