Barran Press
On Saturday, November 9, 2024, the rights organization "musawaah" announced the death of a soldier held captive by the Houthi group, designated as a terrorist organization by the international community, after suffering from "severe torture" during his detention since June 2020 at the Central Security prison in Sana'a.
In a statement reviewed by Barran Press, the organization reported that it was informed by the family of the soldier, 36-year-old Mohammed Mohammed Abdullah Hassan Suleiman from the Jabal Al-Sharq district in Dhamar Governorate, about his death due to torture in the Central Security prison.
The organization noted that Suleiman, who was captured on the Sirwah front on June 4, 2020, endured "the worst forms of psychological and physical torture" in captivity, leading to a deterioration in his health and multiple loss of consciousness until his family was notified of his death, leaving behind a wife and four children.
"musawaah " strongly condemned this "gruesome crime," stating it is not the first such incident documented by the organization in Houthi prisons, nor will it be the last.
The organization highlighted that the Houthi group employs a systematic policy in dealing with prisoners and civilian detainees, endangering their lives and physical and mental well-being without regard for ethical or legal obligations.
"musawaah" also expressed deep concern over the growing occurrence of such crimes in Houthi prisons, calling on the international community to take immediate action to protect prisoners and detainees and ensure accountability for those involved in these crimes, preventing impunity for perpetrators.
The organization emphasized that these acts constitute a blatant violation of the Third Geneva Convention regarding the treatment of prisoners of war, which mandates humane treatment and prohibits torture or mistreatment in any form. These crimes also rise to the level of war crimes under international human rights law.
Official government reports indicate that over 350 cases of torture-related deaths have been documented among a total of 1,635 cases of torture in Houthi-controlled detention facilities since the group's takeover in 2014.