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Yemen – Release of human rights defender while others remain in detention

Posted on 2008/12/12

Update

Front Line welcomes the release of human rights defender, Khalid Abdul-Wahab El-Sharif from prison on Friday 19 December. He had been detained since 5 July 2008 in the Political Security Prison, San´a, where he had been denied legal consultation, regular visits and was never officially charged. Despite his release, Front Line remains deeply concerned about the ongoing detention without charge of human rights defenders, Mr Yasre Abdul-Wahab Al-Wazeer and Mr Mu’een Ibraheem Al-Mutawakel.

Further Information

On 1 July 2008, Ali Ali Yahya Al-Emad was arrested and placed in incommunicado detention in the Political Security Prison, San´a. According to reports received, Ali Ali Yahya Al-Emad´s family was never informed of his whereabouts and believed that he had been “disappeared” until his release on 2 December 2008. During his detention, he was allegedly tortured and subjected to ill-treatment. On 27 May 2008, Mu’een Ibraheem Al-Mutawakel was detained, while Yasre Abdul-Wahab Al-Wazeer on 1 July 2008, and Khalid Abdul-Wahab El-Sharif on 5 July 2008. All are currently being held in the Political Security Prison, San´a, where it is feared that they may be subjected to torture and ill-treatment. They have been denied legal consultation, regular visits and have not been officially charged. The three men had been detained for at least six weeks before their families were informed of their whereabouts by the authorities.

On 12 September 2008, the Yemeni President, Field Marshall Ali Abdullah Saleh ordered the release of all prisoners related to the Sada conflict who had not been convicted. However, it is believed that at least 69 individuals related to this conflict, including the aforementioned human rights defenders, remain in detention without charge.

Front Line believes that Ali Ali Yahya Al-Emad, Yasre Abdul-Wahab Al-Wazeer, Khalid Abdul-Wahab El-sharif and Mu’een Ibraheem Al-Mutawakel were targeted as a result of their peaceful human rights activities, specifically those who campaign for judicial reform and the rights of prisoners. Front Line is particularly concerned by the trend of incommunicado detentions in Yemen, a practice which violates International norms and has been known to facilitate torture and ill-treatment.

Action Finished: 

This Urgent Appeal has now ended. No further action is requested at this point. Thank you for taking action on this case.

Front Line issues Urgent Appeals on behalf of human rights defenders at risk on a daily basis. These Appeals normally remain active on our web site for a period of up to six weeks, depending on the situation. After this time they will be archived. Front Line maintains a watching brief on all these cases but no further action is requested after the six weeks, unless there is a significant development in the case.