Corporate report

Yemen - country of concern: latest update 31 December 2014

Updated 21 January 2015

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Any incidents or events taking place after 31 December 2014 will be covered in future reports.

Latest Update: 31 December 2014

Violations of human rights in Yemen continued over the last three months, including harassment of officials working on electoral reform; reports of illegal detention centres; extrajudicial killings; the continued use of children soldiers; violations of women’s rights; widespread conflict affecting civilians; and harassment and detention of religious minorities.

Despite the Peace and National Partnership Agreement (PNPA) signed on 21 September, the government faced further instability across the country as the Houthis expanded their territorial control into western, eastern and southern governorates. In response, Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and tribal militias increased attacks against the Houthis and government forces. This deterioration in the political, security and humanitarian situations impeded the government’s ability - including the new technocratic government formed on 7 November - to improve human rights. There remains an urgent need for the government and the Houthis to take forward the outcomes of the National Dialogue Conference (NDC) and the provisions of the PNPA, including those related to security sector reform.

Since the last quarterly report, the UK has continued its work to improve human rights in Yemen through various channels: a programme led by the International Organisation of Migration supporting migrants from the Horn of Africa and Yemeni returnees from Saudi Arabia; ongoing support for the constitutional reform and elections process; and bilateral lobbying. The UK lobbied on implementation of the PNPA and the remaining steps of the political transition; child soldiers; Houthi illegal detention centres and disappearances; and religious persecution. The UK also supported statements by the Group of Ten Ambassadors urging progress on implementation of the PNPA and condemning the use of violence by various groups. In addition, the UK invited proposals for its 2015 Human Rights and Democracy Programme.

Progress on preparations for the constitution and elections continued to be delayed because of disagreements between competing political factions. There were also reports of the harassment of members of the Supreme Commission for Elections and Referendum (SCER) by the Houthis, which further delayed progress on the Biometric Voter Registry. The UK welcomes the progress made on the new constitution - with a first draft due to be produced at the end of 2014 – but remains concerned by disagreements that remain between some political parties on key articles. The UK urged the government to look into the reports of harassment, and swift agreement of the new constitution in line with the NDC outcomes. Consensus on the new constitution, followed by free and fair elections, remains the only way to secure a sustainable political settlement in Yemen, and a legitimate government that can start to build the institutions needed to protect human rights in the long term.

Human rights defenders continued to be targeted. There were reports of illegal detention centres operated by the Houthis in Sana’a and other northern governorates. The UK urged the Houthis to respect the state judicial system. Southern activist Khaled Al-Junaidi was killed by government forces in Aden on 15 December. The UK urges the government to complete the investigation into Al-Junaidi’s killing quickly and to make its findings available to the public. The UK also notes with concern the failure to begin investigations of the alleged violations of human rights in 2011.

Conflict across the country between the Houthis, government forces, AQAP and tribal militias continued to affect civilians - including children - in Amran, Sana’a, Hodeida, Al- Jawf, Marib, Ibb and Ta’iz. It remains vital for humanitarian agencies to be given free access to areas affected by the conflict in order to provide humanitarian support.

A series of bomb attacks have also killed many civilians: an AQAP bomb attack against a Houthi cultural centre in Ibb on 31 December killed at least 45 people; twin AQAP bomb attacks in Radaa on 16 December killed 26 people, including 16 children travelling on a school bus; an AQAP bomb attack at the residence of the Iranian Ambassador to Yemen on 3 December caused a number of deaths and casualties; and an AQAP suicide bomber killed at least 42 people on 9 October during a Houthi demonstration in Sana’a. The UK condemned such violent attacks on civilians and diplomatic missions.

There were also further reports of the recruitment of children by the Houthis, particularly at security checkpoints in Sana’a. The UK raised the security checkpoints issue with the Houthis, after which they stopped using children. The UK will also continue to urge the government to implement its Action Plan and put an end to the practice of child soldiers. The UK also notes with concern the continued occupation by the Houthis of schools in Sanaa and Amran, which is depriving children of their right to education.

Women in Yemen continue to face discrimination in law and in practice. Only 11% of the new technocratic government are female - well below the 30% women quota agreed at the NDC – and we note with concern the continued delay in passing the Child Rights Law. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s project in Hodeida - led by international development charity Progressio - successfully concluded, having helped educate women and men of the socio-economic and health implications of child marriage, and of the benefits of women’s participation in the public and private sectors.

There were also further reports of harassment and detention of religious minorities, including those from the Baha’i faith. The UK urged the government to investigate the reports, and reiterated the NDC recommendation to allow every citizen the freedom to practise religious rites according to their religion, belief and doctrine. 

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