Coalition prisons still hold 1,200 Yemenis, including children, women
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A human rights organization reveals that Yemeni civilians were abducted and murdered in prisons managed by Saudi-led coalition forces.
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A freed Yemeni prisoner who was released in the exchange deal between the Yemeni government and Saudi Arabia hugs relatives at the airport in Sanaa on Saturday, April 15, 2023. (Reuters)
Insan Organization for Rights and Liberties in Sanaa revealed on Wednesday that the number of civilians abducted by the coalition of aggression reached nearly 1,200, including women and children, between November 2021 and May 2023.
The exchange of prisoners between Sanaa and Riyadh comes as part of the implementation of the agreement reached in talks between the parties to the Yemeni conflict in the Swiss capital, Bern, last March.
In a press conference titled "Crimes and violations against civilian detainees in the prisons of the aggression and its mercenaries," the organization said 256 civilian abductees were liberated in the recent exchange deals that saw the release of 1,200 Yemeni citizens, 645 of which are from Marib.
In its report, the organization pointed out that there are several prisons in Marib where abductees and prisoners are tortured and killed, most notably quarters belonging to the Military Intelligence, Central Security, Political Security, and Criminal Investigation authorities.
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Through examinations of detainees released from the Political Security prison, it was found that there are widespread epidemics, most notably tuberculosis, due to severe medical negligence as specialized organizations were prevented from visiting the prisoners.
Among the violations, according to Insan, is the arrest of healthy civilians, taking them to prisons full of prisoners of war, and then bargaining them in exchange deals.
There are civilian detainees held since 2016 until today, the organization added, noting that their physical health has deteriorated and they are now suffering from psychological illnesses.
According to the report, Insan recorded 18 murders that took place in Marib prisons against detainees, most notably in the Al-Saleh Institute prison and the Political Security prison.
The head of the Prisoners' Committee in the Sanaa government, Abdul Qadir Al-Murtada, affirmed earlier that "the Americans have been obstructing peace throughout the previous periods," adding that the US is always looking to block any progress, as it seeks to plant obstacles in every negotiation round related to the prisoner file.
Al-Murtada expressed Sanaa's willingness to further expand the terms of upcoming negotiations as the next round is expected to include the release of 1,400 prisoners from both sides.
Read more: Yemen: 900 casualties by Saudi-led coalition fire in Saada since truce
The official added that negotiations are on hold, as both sides are awaiting the formation of committees that will inspect the respective prison of each party, as previously agreed upon.
He also indicated that mercenaries are straining negotiations as they are demanding preconditions for such an inspection to take place, as the Yemeni official expressed his hope that these demands be dropped and the process be facilitated.
Furthermore, the president of the Supreme Political Council in Yemen, Mahdi Al-Mashat told UN envoy, Hans Grundberg, that "facts have proven that the United States of America and Britain are the sides obstructing all attempts to achieve peace in Yemen," on May 1.
"Whenever there is any rapprochement between Yemen and Saudi Arabia and understandings are reached, the United States of America rushes to send its ill-omened envoy to the region,” he stressed.
Al Mayadeen correspondent in Geneva reported, a few weeks ago, that "the Yemeni parties signed an agreement to exchange prisoners and detainees in the Swiss capital, Berne."
