Barran Press
On December 9, 2024, the U.S. administration announced new sanctions targeting the Houthi Prisoners Committee, classified as a terrorist organization, along with its head, Abdul Qader Al-Murtadha. Al-Murtadha is accused of torturing detainees, including journalists and aid workers.
According to a statement released by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, seen by Barran Press, the Houthi Prisoners Committee and Al-Murtadha were designated under Executive Order 13818 for being responsible for or complicit in serious human rights abuses. The Treasury's statement highlighted that Al-Murtadha leads a committee that has committed severe violations of human rights during his tenure.
The Treasury report noted that the Houthi National Committee for Prisoners manages Houthi-run prisons, where detainees reportedly face systematic torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment. The United Nations has specifically cited one facility, known as Dar Al-Surf in Sana'a, for such abuses.
Multiple reports indicate that prison officials, including Al-Murtadha, are personally involved in crimes against inmates. These detainees include former U.S. embassy staff, UN employees, humanitarian workers, and journalists. The statement also mentioned that many prisoners are held arbitrarily, including minors, and are subjected to systematic brutality, psychological and physical punishment.
The report details the use of "mock executions, beatings, and electric shocks" among other abuses, with inmates often denied adequate medical care, resulting in permanent disabilities and reports of deaths among detainees.
Earlier in the previous year, a UN Security Council expert team accused Al-Murtadha of committing acts of torture against detainees in several prisons, including the Central Prison in Sana'a, which he oversees.
The experts’ report highlighted the detention of women and children for various reasons, the use of sexual violence as a form of torture, financial extortion, and a lack of medical care within the Houthi prison system. It called for international investigations and immediate intervention to protect human rights in Yemen.
Former detainees have recounted their experiences of torture at the hands of Abdul Qader Al-Murtadha, describing him as a "torture addict" who does not rest until he has inflicted pain on his captives.