The Documentary highlights the civilian victims of arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance by the parties to the conflict.

(Sana’a (Thursday, July 26, 2018

Mwatana for Human Rights has released a new documentary film entitled “In Darkness” on arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance in Yemen.

In this statement, issued in conjunction with the release of the documentary, Mwatana would like to note that the documentary highlights the suffering of arbitrarily detained and forcibly disappeared persons and the tragedies inflicted on their families by the parties to the conflict in Yemen to strengthen their hold in the areas under their control.

“The issues of arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance, and the damage they inflict, are among the heaviest human rights issues in Yemen,” said Radiya Al-Mutawakil, the chairperson of Mwatana for Human Rights.

“In Darkness” documents five stories in which civilians have been subjected to arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance by the parties to the conflict in Yemen: two incidents in Sana’a by Ansar Allah (the Houthi group), two other incidents of detaining two brothers in Marib Governorate by forces loyal to President Abdurbo Mansour Hadi and one incident in the city of Aden.

On Sunday morning, September 25, 2015, gunmen in civilian outfits belonging to Ansar Allah (the Houthi group) raided Al-Fateh school in Shamlan area in the capital city of Sana’a and arrested Mr. Khaled Al-Nahari (38 years old), the school headmaster. Khaled Al-Nahari was taken on a minibus to an unknown location, and his family was kept in the dark with regard to his whereabouts for four and a half months. Only after this long period was Khaled allowed to call his family, and a month later, his family was allowed to visit him.

Khaled’s brother told Mwatana that he had seen burns on his brother’s arms, and that he had noticed that his brother suffered pain in his back. He added: “The bill of his indictment contained 26 charges including the following: planting microchips, explosions at Al-Daylami airbase, Sana’a Airport and the Ministry of Defense during the past years. He was even accused him of being involved in the bombing of the Grand Hall, which was bombed by the Saudi-Emirati-led Coalition airstrikes on October 8, 2016, although he was in detention at the time.”

On June 9, 2015, activist and journalist Harith Saleh Hamid (27 years old) abruptly disappeared in Sana’a. Harith’s family said he was writing articles on the current situation and exposing all the conflicting parties in Yemen. Harith’s family searched for him in all police stations, which denied his presence. His sister confirms that the authorities in Sana’a allowed them to visit him later, but by then her father had suffered a stroke due to his grief.

The documentary also tells of the story of the detention of two brothers in Marib Governorate, which is run by pro-Hadi forces. Khaled Ali Jahaf (30 years old) was detained in August 2016.

Khaled’s brother said that his brother owned a cargo truck and that he was followed and forced to stop by a military vehicle as he entered into the Yemeni side of the port coming from Saudi Arabia. Khaled was arrested and detained in Marib, and when his brother Abdul-Ghani Ali Jahaf (35 years old) went to search for him, he was detained too.

Their third brother who spoke to Mwatana added: Khaled’s son (14 years old) suffered from a psychological disorder, while his wife suffered a stroke due to the severity of the ordeal of her husband and son. The result is two bereaved families without a breadwinner for more than 16 months.”

Abdul-Ghani was released on March 8, 2018, while his brother Khaled remains “in darkness”.

The documentary also tells the story of the detention of Mohammed Saleh Fadl Manssar in the city of Aden. Mohammed was arrested and taken to an unknown location by seven people on July 15, 2016.

In a faint voice, Mohammad’s mother narrates the difficulties she encountered while searching for her forcibly disappeared son in all places of detention to no avail. “I knocked all doors and asked about him everywhere. He is a piece of my heart and I was trying to know where he was and that he was alright.” said the grieving mother.

Radiya Al-Mutawakil adds: “The parties to the conflict in Yemen must cease engaging in such grave violations and must know that sooner or later they shall be held accountable for their dark history of disrespect of human rights.”

The human rights documentary “In Darkness” presents hundreds of examples of sufferings at the hands of the different parties to the conflict whose behavior is identical when it comes to the disrespect of human rights and violations of the rules of Yemeni law. In almost four years of war, Mwatana for Human Rights has documented hundreds of incidents of arbitrary detention and enforced disappearances of civilians in all areas of Yemen run by the various parties to the conflict.

Mwatana for Human Rights reaffirms its call upon Ansar Allah (the Houthis), pro-Hadi forces and groups, and groups loyal to the Saudi-UAE-led Coalition to immediately release all arbitrarily detained persons and to reveal the fate of those who have been forcibly disappeared.