The internationally recognized Yemeni government today accused the Houthi rebel group of running more than 250 clandestine detention centers, housing over 2,000 forcibly disappeared individuals. The staggering claim was made during a regional conference in Baghdad, shedding light on the deepening humanitarian crisis in Yemen.
Issam Al-Shaeri, Director General of Organizations at the Yemeni Ministry of Human Rights, delivered the scathing indictment at the Regional Expert Meeting on Missing Persons in the Middle East and North Africa. Al-Shaeri asserted that the Houthi coup in 2014 dramatically escalated enforced disappearances, a phenomenon he described as unprecedented. He warned that the Houthis' continued grip on parts of Yemen remains a formidable obstacle to uncovering the fate of the missing and delivering justice to their grieving families.

Al-Shaeri detailed the legitimate government's efforts to tackle the issue, emphasizing a comprehensive strategy rooted in national legal frameworks and international commitments. This, he noted, includes adherence to relevant international conventions, empowering state institutions, and fortifying human rights infrastructure.
He further highlighted the Yemeni government's full compliance with the Stockholm Agreement, which saw the release of thousands of Houthi detainees through humanitarian gestures. In sharp contrast, Al-Shaeri criticized the Houthi group for releasing only a handful of civilians, including journalists subjected to what he called "unjust sentences" after years of enforced disappearance.

Underscoring the gravity of the situation, Al-Shaeri stressed the Yemeni government's paramount focus on the plight of those missing and forcibly disappeared in Houthi prisons, branding it a "highly sensitive humanitarian and national issue."
In a plea to the international community, the human rights official urged enhanced cooperation and technical assistance to address this "grave humanitarian file" as a cornerstone for achieving lasting peace in the war-torn nation.