In Yemen, a court controlled by Houthi rebels has handed down death sentences to 44 individuals, with accusations of spying, including a businessman who worked with aid organizations. These charges were framed under the label of “collaborating with the enemy,” referring to the Saudi-led coalition engaged in conflict with the Houthis since 2015, as per defense lawyer Abdel-Majeed Sabra.
Of the 49 individuals detained by the rebels and accused, 44 received death sentences, while four were given prison terms. Noting, 16 were sentenced to death in absentia, meaning they were not present during the trial proceedings. The Specialized Criminal Court in Sanaa heard the cases of 28 individuals in person.
Among those facing death was Adnan al-Harazi, the CEO of Prodigy Systems, a company based in Sanaa that developed aid distribution systems. Al-Harazi was detained by the Houthis in March of the previous year, following an attack on his company premises. Alongside the death sentences, the court ordered the confiscation of al-Harazi’s assets.
Lawyer Sabra highlighted allegations of physical and psychological torture inflicted upon the suspects during detention, including extended periods of solitary confinement lasting nine months. Sabra and the defense team withdrew from the trial proceedings at the outset, citing the court’s refusal to provide access to case documents and describing the trial as “unfair.”
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Despite requests for comment, a spokesman for the Houthi faction did not respond immediately. This sentencing is part of a broader pattern, with thousands detained by the Houthis throughout Yemen’s civil conflict.
An investigation by the Associated Press revealed instances of severe abuse against detainees, including acid attacks, prolonged hanging by wrists, and beatings.
Houthi-controlled courts in Sanaa and other areas have a history of issuing severe punishments to those accused of collaborating with the Saudi-led coalition. Previously, in September 2021, nine individuals were executed for involvement in the killing of a senior Houthi official in an airstrike by the coalition in April 2018.
Yemen has been embroiled in a devastating conflict since the Houthi insurgency began in 2014, leading to the capture of Sanaa and large parts of northern Yemen, pushing the government into exile.
The intervention of a Saudi-led coalition, backed by the United Arab Emirates in 2015, aimed to restore the internationally recognized government, escalating the conflict into a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
The conflict’s toll has been immense, claiming over 150,000 lives, including both combatants and civilians, and causing one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises.
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