Al-Maqtari calls for the release of women abducted from Houthi prisons and denounces violations

Ishraq Al-Maqtari, a member of the National Committee to Investigate Allegations of Human Rights Violations in Yemen, called for the immediate release of women working in civil society organizations, who have been kidnapped by the Houthi militia in Sana’a for more than six months.

Al-Maqtari explained in a post she published on her account on the “X” platform that the kidnapped women did not commit any crime, stressing that they were arbitrarily arrested without legal or moral justification.

She added that dozens of their colleagues working in civil society organizations are facing the same fate, as they were kidnapped from their offices and homes, and some of them were taken away in front of their children, in scenes that reflect the group's barbarism and arbitrariness.

Al-Maqtari described these practices as “violence, racism, and tyranny,” and a flagrant violation of human rights and Yemeni customs that prohibit violating women’s dignity.

She asked: "What sin did female employees commit while exercising their right to work to be kidnapped, have their freedom restricted, and be hidden from their families?!"

Al-Maqtari called on the international community and human rights activists to take serious action and exert pressure on the Houthi militia to release the abductees and all forcibly disappeared civilians, including workers in embassies, organizations, journalists and teachers.

She also stressed the need to deter these violations and hold their perpetrators accountable, in order to achieve peace and coexistence worthy of the Yemeni people.

What crime have female employees committed while performing their job duties and right to work, to be arrested, have their freedom restricted, and be hidden from their families and loved ones!
Six months and these young women, who no one has complained about, and who have not harmed anyone's safety or dignity, are still being detained by the #Houthi group, which some well-intentioned peace advocates present as… pic.twitter.com/MjcDXjqeBA

— Eshraq Almaqtari (@EshraqAlmaqtari) December 20, 2024