Mwatana for Human Rights has prepared the Woes of “Arabia Felix” report based on investigative field research in 18 Yemeni governorates during the period between January 2017 and February 2018. During this period, Mwatana documented the most significant patterns of human rights violations committed by parties to the conflict in Yemen in 2017. Woes of “Arabia Felix” report was written and finalized from December 2017 to April 2018.

Mwatana conducted more than 1637 interviews in Arabic with the victims, victims’ families, eye witnesses and medical and humanitarian workers. Mwatana also documented the recruitment and use of children for military purposes, through 607 child-recruitment-related observations and interviews. The field research team conducted the interviews and researches while the research unit collected, reviewed, verified the information and visited several Yemeni governorates in separate field missions.

Research was based on taking testimonies and information from main sources of information relating to human rights violations. Mwatana never offered financial or in-kind contributions to those who testified in the report. The identities of some of the witnesses are withheld for their protection.

The facts described in the report were arranged from oldest to newest; they refer to the most prominent patterns verified by Mwatana during 2017, and to name a few. The organization continues to document the various violations that occurred since the beginning of 2018.

The report consists of two chapters.

  • Chapter One: The Situation in Yemen under International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and international Mechanisms.

This chapter is divided into four sections highlighting the most significant events relating to human rights issues in Yemen at the international level during the year 2017. Chapter One discusses the situation of the Yemeni conflict in the Context of International Humanitarian Law; Chapter Two discusses Yemen in the UN Security Council; Chapter Three highlights Yemen in the Human Rights Council and the establishment of International Inquiry Mechanism while Chapter Four discusses the Secretary General’s List of Shame.

  • Chapter Two: The Most Significant Patterns of Human Rights Violations in Yemen in 207. This chapter is divided into four sections:
  • Section One: Starvation as War Tactic and Denying Access to Humanitarian Aid
  • Section Two: Aerial Attacks
  • Section Three: Ground Attacks
  • Section Four: Civilian Casualties of Landmines.
  • Section Five: Enforced Disappearance
  • Section Six: Arbitrary Detention
  • Section Seven: Torture
  • Section Eight: Violations against the Baha’i Minority
  • Section Nine: Violations against the Press and Journalists
  • Section Ten: Recruitment of Child Soldiers
  • Section Eleven: Attack on Hospitals and Medical Teams
  • Section Twelve: Attacks on and Use of Schools
  • Section thirteen: Drone Attacks and U.S. Ground Operations
  • Section Fourteen: The Sana’a Events

An International Law expert reviewed the report and conducted legal analysis. The report was translated into English from Arabic.

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