Articles for Yemen

On 22 May 2008, officers from the Political Security services arrested Zakaria Al-Hijri at a checkpoint in the Sahoul district of Ibb. He spent his first two weeks in solitary confinement at the Political Security detention center in Ibb. During his first two months, he was held incommunicado at the detention center, and his family was kept in the dark as to his whereabouts and the reasons for his arrest.

In the past two years, Zakaria Al-Hijri has never been the subject of any legal proceedings, appeared before a judge or even been informed of the reasons for his arrest.

Walid Al-Kainai was arrested on 15 March 2005 in Ta'izz by local Political Security forces. In the last five years, he has been imprisoned in various locations and has never been on trial.

On 12 May 2010, Alkarama sent his case to the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention requesting their intervention on behalf of the Yemeni authorities, in order for the Yemeni authorities either release Walid Al-Kainai or at least put him on trial.

On 14 February 2010, Sadman Hossain was kidnapped by political security agents as he was heading on foot towards Sana'a International Airport with his sister Rifat. He has since disappeared.

Alkarama submitted his case to the Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) on 26 April 2010, asking for its intervention with the Yemeni authorities for Sadman Hossain's release, or in the least, that he be put on trial.

Ammar and Fadel Fawaz, two bothers from Sana'a, were arrested on separate occasions in December and August 2009 and are currently illegally detained at Sana'a's Political Security prison.

Ammar Abdallah Mohamed Fadel, 30, was arrested at his home on 17 December 2009 by Political Security agents accompanied by military officers who help raid and occupy his home. During the foray, several of his family members, including young children were abused.

On 13 April 2010, in a communication to the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Alkarama submitted the cases of nine individuals arbitrarily detained in Yemen. Three of the victims have been detained inside Al-Mansoura central prison in Aden for over two years, and have never been the subject of any legal proceedings.

Information regarding the nine prisoners is as follows:

Alkarama has just learned that Hammam Al-Dobii, previously abducted on 22 March 2010, has reappeared inside Sana'a Political Security prison. Following his abduction he was to an unknown destination.

Hammam Mohamed Al-Dobii, 18, was abducted on 22 March 2010 in Noukm district of Sana'a by masked gunmen in dress is civilian clothing. Three vehicles stopped in front his store and immediately arrested. Before reappearing inside Sana'a Political Security prison he had been missing for more than two weeks and is now detained without charge.

Mohamed Hammam Al-Dobii was abducted on 23 March 2010 in Sanaa by plain clothed Intelligence Services officers. He was arrested without a warrant and taken to an unknown destination.

Alkarama has just received news that Ahmed Bamuallim, former MP and a political opposition figure in Yemen, was sentenced on 23 March 2010 to ten years imprisonment by the Specialized State Security Court on charges of violating national unity.

On 5 March 2010, Alkarama had called for the intervention of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD), in protest of his continued detention without trial since 19 April 2009, most likely for political reasons.

Throughout 2009 numerous arrests have been made in the Al-Hadida province under the pretext of the so-called "War on Terrorism". The student community and political activists have been particularly affected.

On 18 March 2010, Alkarama sent the cases of ten such victims to the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, requesting its intervention with the Yemeni authorities.

Nearly 50 detainees inside Mukalla Political Security prison in Hadramawt province, southern Yemen, have entered a hunger strike in protest of their continued imprisonment by the Yemeni security authorities who have never charged them or taken them to court.

Relatives of the victims recently informed Alkarama's representative in Yemen that some of the detainees have now spent up to three years in prison without trial. The hunger strike, which began on 10 March 2010, is in protest of their continued arbitrary detention under poor conditions.