Yemen's Ministry of Justice and Human Rights has publicly condemned the recent US-Israeli airstrikes targeting various regions in Yemen, including Sana'a, Hudaydah, Dhamar, and Al-Bayda. The ministry highlighted the significant damage inflicted on civilian infrastructure and homes, calling these actions clear violations of Yemen's sovereignty and international humanitarian law. The statement, made on October 5, 2024, criticized the international community, particularly the United Nations and the Security Council, for their silence regarding these aggressions, which the ministry characterized as a failure to uphold human rights [b458b3a7].
In light of these developments, the ministry emphasized Yemen's inherent right to defend itself against such attacks and called for global solidarity against these violations. This condemnation comes amidst ongoing concerns about human rights abuses in Yemen, where the Houthi rebels have been accused of detaining individuals based on their political affiliations and suppressing freedom of expression [90b68c48].
The Houthis have recently arrested and forcibly disappeared dozens of individuals, including UN staff and NGO employees, which has raised alarms about the treatment of aid workers and the overall climate of fear in Houthi-controlled territories. The international community has been urged to take action to ensure the release of these detainees and to address the broader crackdown on civil society [9d65634f].
In Libya, similar concerns have emerged regarding human rights violations, where political activist Al-Mutassim Al-Araibi was abducted by armed men, and reports of arbitrary detentions and enforced disappearances continue to surface. The United Nations Support Mission in Libya has called for the immediate release of Al-Araibi and all arbitrarily detained individuals, highlighting the deteriorating civic space in the country [fdd4c484].
As the situation unfolds in both Yemen and Libya, the need for accountability and respect for human rights remains paramount. The UN has documented an escalation in arbitrary arrests and detentions in Libya, while in Yemen, the ongoing conflict and external aggressions exacerbate the humanitarian crisis [60df7431].