On Tuesday, December 3, 2024, the American Center for Justice (ACJ) reported that security forces affiliated with the internationally designated terrorist group, the Houthis, targeted Sheikh Sadiq Abu Shaar in Sana'a on November 25, resulting in his death.

In a statement reviewed by Bran Press, the rights organization explained that members of the Shumaila police department, led by Captain Alawi Al-Amir, pursued Sheikh Abu Shaar, a prominent figure from the Al-Shaar district in Ibb Governorate. The pursuit began on Al-Qadisiya Street in the capital and continued until Dar Salm Junction, where the Sheikh was subjected to heavy gunfire—over fifty bullets were fired directly at his vehicle, leading to fatal injuries to his head and body.

The ACJ noted that the crime was conducted without any legal order, as there was no report or arrest warrant against Sheikh Abu Shaar. After his body was transported to a hospital, his family was denied access to view the body or learn details about his death, increasing the ambiguity surrounding the motives behind the incident.

The organization highlighted that this incident is not an isolated one; their monitoring team documented another crime in the Dumat district of Al-Dhale Governorate, where a street vendor named Bakil Abdul Malik Al-Himam was killed. Al-Himam was a simple vendor supporting his family with a capital of less than ten dollars.

The ACJ condemned the rising incidents of murder and severe human rights violations in Houthi-controlled areas, expressing deep concern over the deteriorating security situation, the disruption of the judicial system, and the absence of law in these regions, where civilian lives are lost without legal justification.

The organization emphasized that these acts represent a blatant violation of the right to life as outlined in Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and contradict the fundamental principles of international humanitarian law, which prohibits targeting civilians and endangering their lives.

The American Center for Justice called on the international community to take immediate action to curb these crimes and urged for an independent and transparent international investigation into all violations committed by the Houthis, with a focus on holding the responsible parties accountable.

Furthermore, the ACJ appealed to the United Nations and the Human Rights Council to implement effective measures to protect civilians in Houthi-controlled areas and to ensure an end to the imposition of taxes and oppressive practices that exacerbate the suffering of the Yemeni people.