Sana'a: A citizen burns himself in Al-Sabeen Square in protest against the Houthis confiscating his land

A citizen set himself on fire yesterday, Friday, in Al-Sabeen Square in the capital, Sana’a, during the weekly Houthi rallies, in protest against the injustice he was subjected to by one of the Houthi militia leaders.

Media sources reported that "the person who set himself on fire is named Abdul Ghani Al-Razihi, in protest against the confiscation of his land by Abdul Majeed Al-Houthi, who was appointed head of the Endowments Authority by the Houthis in Sana'a, on the pretext that it belongs to the Endowments Authority."

Activists circulated a video of the citizen "Al-Razihi", who hails from Saada Governorate, the stronghold of the Houthi militia leader, spraying himself with gasoline and saying: "I will burn myself in front of you and complain about Abdul Majeed Al-Houthi", and then he set himself on fire.

Suicides have become common due to poverty, salary cuts, lack of justice, and increasing pressures and problems of life.
What's new today is that this is happening in Al-Sab'een Square, which undermines the symbolism that is being consecrated; turning it into a symbolism that they don't want it to be if it is repeated. pic.twitter.com/je9r3Gtleq

— Ahmed Saif Hashed Hashem (@CivicCoalition) November 15, 2024

The attendees intervened to put out the fire on his body, but he sustained burns, as the video shows. He was shouting, "Abdul Majeed Al-Houthi (accused of confiscating his land) and Walid Al-Alawi (library manager)" and appealed for intervention to restore his rights.

Before he burned himself, he was seen chanting the Iranian Houthi slogan. Media sources reported that "Abdulghani Al-Razihi" is a supporter of the Houthis and fought in their ranks on a number of fronts, and many members of his family were killed.

MP Ahmed Saif Hashed commented on the incident, saying, “Suicides have become commonplace due to poverty, the interruption of salaries, the loss of justice, and the increasing pressures and problems of life.”

He added in a post on the X platform (formerly Twitter), "What is new today is that this is happening in Al-Sabeen Square, which undermines the symbolism that is being consecrated; turning it into a symbolism that they do not want it to be if it is repeated."

The Houthi militias have been practicing robbery and confiscation of private property since they took control of the capital, Sana’a, on September 21, 2014. They began with their opponents and adversaries, whom they accused of treason, and reached the property of citizens with a series of justifications, including that these lands and properties are owned by endowments.