Barran Press
On September 25, 2024, Tareq Saleh, a member of the Presidential Leadership Council, asserted that the Yemeni people will not return to Imamate rule. He emphasized that "the battle today is to restore the state and the republic," criticizing the Houthi militia for attempting to turn the conflict in Yemen into a sectarian struggle influenced by Khomeini's vision.
During the inauguration of three educational complexes on the western coast, Saleh pointed to the recent wave of abductions carried out by the Houthi group against citizens who attempted to celebrate Yemeni Revolution Day. He described these actions as a manifestation of the Houthis' fear and acknowledgment of their own clerical Imamate that opposes the republic, according to the official Saba news agency.
Saleh highlighted the significant transformations achieved by the September 26 Revolution, noting that the Houthis have pressured political forces to issue statements against the celebration of this pivotal event.
On September 23, the Popular Congress Party in Sana'a released a statement on its website, "Al-Mu'tamar Net," urging its supporters to refrain from engaging in what it termed "suspicious calls" to celebrate the September 26 Revolution.
According to human rights statistics, the Houthi group has abducted over 270 civilians in the capital, Sana'a, and other areas under its control, including journalists, educators, and activists, due to their social media posts expressing intentions to celebrate the 62nd anniversary of the revolution.
Yemenis are set to celebrate the 61st anniversary of the republic’s establishment and the fall of the Imamate on September 26, 1962. As the month of September began, Yemenis decorated their social media pages with slogans and chants celebrating the revolution.
Since the Houthi coup against legitimate authority, the anniversary of the September 26 Revolution has become an occasion for Yemenis in Houthi-controlled areas to express their rejection of the coup and the group's rule, calling for its downfall and the restoration of the republican system. They accuse the Houthis of attempting to erase the significance of the revolution from educational curricula and various media outlets.
Many Yemenis believe the Houthi group is genuinely fearful, knowing that a substantial majority of the population rejects their ideologies and governance style. This fear prompted the group to display the Yemeni flag in the iconic Al-Sabeen Square in Sana'a alongside banners bearing Khomeini's slogan, seemingly to mitigate public discontent. However, the group subsequently banned the sale of the Yemeni flag in tailoring shops and launched a campaign against activists promoting the celebration of the anniversary.