Two human rights organizations have strongly denounced the degrading treatment of Humam Al-Yafei’s body, which was displayed publicly atop a military vehicle in Jaar following a joint security operation in Shabwa governorate. The American Center for Justice (ACJ) and the Sam Organization for Rights and Freedoms are demanding an independent and transparent investigation into the incident.

The (ACJ), in a statement, labeled the act an "extrajudicial revenge tactic" masked as counterterrorism efforts. The ACJ emphasized the urgent need for an impartial judicial inquiry into both the killing of Al-Yafei and the subsequent abuse of his remains, calling on authorities to publicly disclose the investigation's findings.

ACJ cautioned that such actions signify a severe erosion of legal and ethical principles, asserting that counterterrorism is being exploited as a pretext for settling grievances and justifying human rights violations. The organization underscored that the desecration of corpses constitutes a war crime under the Geneva Conventions and a violation of Article 226 of Yemen’s Penal Code, which criminalizes such acts.

The Sam Organization for Rights and Freedoms echoed these concerns, demanding a transparent investigation conducted under judicial oversight. The organization directly held the Yemeni government, the Attorney General, security officials, and the Presidential Council accountable for upholding law and order. Sam described the public display of Al-Yafei’s body as a “blatant crime,” stressing that no affiliation—real or alleged—with terrorist groups can justify such violations of human dignity.

Details of the Operation and Aftermath the desecration occurred after a joint security operation in Ataq, Shabwa, involving Abyan’s Counterterrorism Unit, led by Brigadier General Abdulrahman Al-Shanini. The operation targeted suspected Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) members and resulted in the death of Humam Al-Yafei. Following his death, members of the Southern Transitional Council’s counterterrorism forces transported his body in a controversial public display from Ataq to Zinjibar, the capital of Abyan.

The Shabwa Defense Forces, in a statement, defended the operation as part of ongoing counterterrorism efforts aimed at stabilizing the governorate. The statement indicated that the raid was based on extensive intelligence and was carried out in coordination with the Southern Counterterrorism Unit.

Adding to the complexity of the situation, a drone strike on April 12, just prior to the joint operation, resulted in the death of another individual near a Shabwa Defense Forces camp northwest of Ataq. The circumstances surrounding this strike remain unclear.

Both ACJ and Sam warned that such actions risk escalating violence and eroding public trust in security forces. The Sam Organization specifically called upon the UN Human Rights Office and the Human Rights Council to intervene and exert international pressure for accountability.
"The justice that is crushed under the wheels of armored vehicles does not build a state or eliminate terrorism," ACJ’s statement concluded. "It only drags society into a cycle of revenge and chaos."