A group of Yemeni human rights organizations has issued a statement condemning the continued enforced disappearance of the politician Mohammed Qahtan since April 4, 2015, by armed members of the Houthi group.

The organizations expressed deep concern over more than nine years passed without any disclosure of his fate or allowing his family to visit or communicate with him, considering this a blatant violation of human rights and international laws.

The statement highlighted that enforced disappearance constitutes a crime against humanity under Article 7 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

The organizations expressed regret over the United Nations and its envoy to Yemen not using their tools to pressure the Houthi group, particularly in the case of forcibly disappeared individuals, including Mohammed Qahtan.

The signing organizations emphasized the urgent need for the unconditional and immediate release of Mohammed Qahtan and all forcibly disappeared individuals. They called for independent and impartial investigations into all cases of enforced disappearances by all parties involved and for perpetrators to be brought to justice.

As they urged the UN envoy and the international community to include the file of forcibly disappeared persons on the agenda of the upcoming negotiations in Oman, Yemeni human rights organizations called on the Presidential Council and the Yemeni government to work towards the release of all forcibly across various Yemeni provinces.

The statement issued by Yemeni human rights organizations regarding the enforced disappearance of politician Mohammed Qahtan:

Civil society organizations undersigned to this statement express grave concern over the continued enforced disappearance of politician Mohammed Qahtan since April 4, 2015, by armed members of the Houthi group. It has been over nine years without any disclosure of his whereabouts or allowing his family to visit or communicate with him, constituting a blatant violation of human rights and international laws.

We strongly condemn this ongoing crime, as enforced disappearance constitutes a serious violation of human rights and a crime against humanity under Article 7 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

Regrettably, the United Nations and the UN Special Envoy to Yemen have not utilized their tools to pressure the Houthi group regarding the issue of enforced disappearances, particularly Mohammed Qahtan, covered by UN Security Council Resolution 2216. This reflects a failure to adequately address and give it the deserved priority in previous negotiation rounds.

The undersigned human rights organizations affirm the following points:

We call on the Houthi group to immediately and unconditionally release politician Mohammed Qahtan and all forcibly disappeared individuals.

We demand independent and impartial investigations into all cases of enforced disappearances by all parties, and prosecution of perpetrators to prevent recurrence of such violations.

We urge the UN Special Envoy to Yemen and the international community to include the issue of enforced disappearances in Yemen on the agenda of upcoming negotiations in Oman and to work diligently towards their release.

We call upon the Presidential Leadership Council and the Yemeni government to fulfill their legal, humanitarian, and ethical responsibilities by working to release all forcibly disappeared and detained individuals across various Yemeni provinces.

Signed Organizations:

1. The National Authority for Prisoners and Abductees
2. Yemeni Coalition for Monitoring Human Rights Violations
3. Mayyun Organization for Human Rights
4. Rights Radar Organization for Human Rights
5. Rased Organization for Rights  and Freedoms
6. Yemeni Network for Rights and Freedoms
7. Shohood Organization for Human Rights
8. Rasd Center for Rights and Development
9. Investigation Organization for Development and Human Rights Organization
10. National Organization for Rights and Freedoms Defense (hood) - Sheba Region Team
11. Eradah Organization against Torture and Forced Disappearance
12. DY YAMNT for Rights and Development
13. Yemenis for Rights and Development Organization
14. Shahid Organization for Rights and Freedoms / Sayoun
15. Musawah Organization for Rights and Freedoms
16. Peace for Social Development and Human Rights Organization / Amran
17. Taiz Human Rights Center
18. De Yemen for Rights and Freedoms
19. My Freedom Organization / El Hudeyde
20. Socotra Organization for Rights and Freedoms
21. Teham's Women Union
22. National Committee for Victims of House Bombings
23. Human Free Organization
24. Karama Organization for Human Rights
25. Jawf Organization for Rights and Freedoms
26. Justice and Equity Organization
27. National Development Organization
28. Human Rights Center
29. Yemen Rights Organization for Rights and Development
30. Justice and Development Organization

Issued on: June 28, 2024