Barran Press
Governor Nabil Shamsan of Taiz has declared the local authority's rejection of any initiative for prisoner exchange negotiations launched by the United Nations and its envoy to Yemen. This firm stance hinges on the inclusion of a crucial demand: the release of prominent politician Mohammed Qahtan, currently detained by the Houthi group.
"From my position in leading Taiz Governorate, I express our categorical refusal of the initiative launched by the United Nations and its envoy for a new round of negotiations regarding the exchange of prisoners and abductees without compelling the Houthis to release the politician Mohammed Qahtan," Governor Shamsan stated in an exclusive interview with Barran Press.
Qahtan, a prominent figure in Yemen's Reform Party, was abducted on April 5, 2015. He remains the sole individual covered by UN Security Council Resolution 2216 calling for his release, yet continues to be held in Houthi custody without access to communication with his family.
"Our demand in Taiz Governorate is to reveal the fate of Professor Mohammed Qahtan before the negotiations in Oman," Governor Shamsan emphasized. "We outright reject any negotiations regarding the abductees and prisoners before the Houthis disclose his fate."
The Governor further urged the internationally recognized Yemeni government's negotiating delegation to resist UN pressure and refuse negotiations until Qahtan's fate is clarified. Qahtan has been subjected to enforced disappearance for nearly a decade.
In April 2023, the Houthis released three individuals covered by the international resolution as part of a UN-sponsored prisoner exchange. However, they retained Qahtan and refused to disclose his whereabouts.
President of the Presidential Council, Rashad Al-Alimi, held the United Nations accountable for implementing Security Council resolutions related to Yemen, including the release of Qahtan from Houthi prisons. This demand was reiterated during Al-Alimi's meeting with the UN Special Envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, in August 2023.
The Governor's resolute stance highlights the unwavering demand for Qahtan's release and the refusal to engage in negotiations until his fate is revealed. This incident underscores the ongoing human rights concerns and the need for international pressure on the Houthi group to comply with international resolutions and release all detainees, including Mohammed Qahtan.