Yemen: Security forces beat child to death in front of his father

15-year-old Muhayb Abdallah Husayn Al-Ya'uri was brutally beaten to death by security agents in Sanaa on Monday 28 March 2011. The tragedy has rocked Yemen, which is currently under a state of emergency, as protests calling for the ouster of President Ali Salih continue across the nation.

Eyewitnesses confirmed that security forces in a police vehicle came to Muhayb Abdallah Husayn Al-Ya'uri's home in the Shamila district, Sanaa. They were arresting him for his alleged role in previous day's "hand-to-hand fighting" with children from a neighbouring district. During the arrest, Muhayb escaped, however security forces tackled him to the ground and brutally beaten unconscious by with their rifle butts.

When his father tried to intervene, security forces threatened to beat him as well. He said that after his son was beaten unconscious, they threw him their car and drove off.

An hour later, Muhayb death was confirmed.

"No one can be held accountable in a state of emergency" said one of the security personnel involved in the fatal attack, "even if someone is killed".

On 18 March 2011, President Ali Abdallah Salih decreed a State of Emergency in reaction to ongoing peaceful protests. Human rights groups and Yemeni lawyers were quick to condemn the state of emergency as unconstitutional.

Muhayb Abdallah Husayn Al-Ya'uri's father

"President Salih announcement of a state of emergency violates the terms of the International Covenant for Civil and Political Rights," said Alkarama's Legal Directory Rachid Mesli, "the State of Emergency is a violation of basic human rights, particularly the right to life.

Article 6 of the Covenant stipulates, "Every human being has the inherent right to life. This right shall be protected by law. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his life."

Local Yemeni human rights organisation 'Hood' confirmed that Muhayb's murder was carried out in the context of Salih's unconstitutional announcement of emergency law.

The Seyaj Organisation for Protecting Childhood, another local Yemeni organisation, said that with Muhayb Al Ya'uri's murder, the number of children killed in the wake peaceful protests since mid-February 2011 has now reached 23.