Ibb, Yemen - Houthi militants, designated as a terrorist group, arrested Yemeni political activist Reddad Saeed Qasem al-Hadhfi on Monday, September 2, 2024, in Ibb governorate (central Yemen), according to local sources. The arrest is believed to be linked to al-Hadhfi's critical writings against the group on social media platforms.

Sources told "Barran Press" that Houthi fighters raided al-Hadhfi's home in the Sahban area of Siyani district, taking him away to an unknown location after intimidating his family and children.

The arrest followed a campaign of incitement by Houthi leaders calling for his detention due to his critical writings, most recently concerning the September 26th Revolution and his call to celebrate it.

In a recent post about the September 26th Revolution, viewed by "Barran Press," al-Hadhfi wrote: “As free Yemeni Septembrists, we consider the September 26th Revolution a natural extension of the Islamic Revolution of the Prophet Muhammad, a real embodiment of the great principles, values, and objectives brought by our master, teacher, and leader, Muhammad, may peace and blessings be upon him.”

Yemen's internationally recognized Minister of Information, Muammar al-Eryani, condemned the Houthis' abduction of al-Hadhfi, attributing it to his criticism of their criminal practices and his call to commemorate the 62nd anniversary of the glorious September 26th Revolution.

In a statement on his X (formerly Twitter) page, al-Eryani described the arrest of activist Reddad al-Hadhfi as a crime that followed a campaign of intimidation and terror by the Houthis' so-called "Security and Intelligence" apparatus, targeting journalists, media professionals, and civil society activists.

He noted that the Houthis' campaign reached the point of threatening liquidation, arrest, and torture, in addition to summoning social media activists for questioning over their posts.

Al-Eryani stated that the Houthi group has escalated its campaign of repression and persecution against political and civil leaders, journalists, media professionals, human rights defenders, trade unionists, and activists in areas under their control. This is aimed at intimidating them, preventing them from conveying the truth to the public, dissuading them from advocating for the people's issues and demands, and constitutes a criminal act and a blatant violation of international humanitarian law.

In his statement, al-Eryani called on the international community, the United Nations, the UN envoy, and human rights organizations to condemn the Houthis' criminal practices. He urged them to pressure for the immediate and unconditional release of Reddad al-Hadhfi and all those detained and forcibly disappeared due to their political, media, and human rights activities, and to initiate the process of classifying the group as a "global terrorist organization."