Yemen – Report on crimes of torture in secret prisons in Shabwa

Location: Aden-Yemen

Language: Arabic

Duration: 00:03:51

Sound: natural

Source: A24 in Aden

Restrictions: A24 subscribers

Date: 09/29/2022

Storyline:

Civil Network for Media, Development and Human Rights (CNMDHR) in Aden held a press conference today to discuss report on “crimes of torture in secret prisons in Shabwa” attributed to pro-Islah special forces.

The report accused Abed Rabbo al-Akab and former governor of Shabwa, Muhammad bin Adyo, of being fully responsible for “crimes of torture” that affected detainees in the governorate.

The report indicated that cases of torture in Shabwa included 27 children. The report revealed 700 violations, including 443 cases of torture that took place in Shabwa special forces prisons between January 2019 and June 2022.

Victims of these violations who A24 interviewed expressed their relief at the expulsion of al-Akab, who was responsible for their arrest in Shabwa, hoping he will never return to the city.

Shotlist:

– Soundbite (Abdullah Al-Noamani – Victim of detention):

“I was detained over a mere verbal altercation with a security point, and then they took me to prison. They moved me between several locations including containers (large containers), and abandoned stations, my 16-year-old child was with me also. They are terrorist militias with no respect to the system or the law, they are dangerous in how they use the state and authority to legitimize their crimes and acts of terrorism. Al-Aqab has finally been expelled from Shabwa, I request all political and concerned parties in the south to ensure this man does not return to this and other areas. This man was the reason for the tear in the social fabric of the south, and Shabwa. He committed many violations and acts of enmity towards every southerner, imprisoning many. I was shocked to know they detained many young people from Aden and Lahj merely on suspicion, and threw them in prison for an entire month without anyone knowing about them.”

– Soundbite (Mahmoud Shayef – President of the Civil Network for Media, Development and Human Rights):

“The aim of this press conference, organized by the Civil Network for Media, Development and Human Rights, is to highlight and document the crimes and violations of Islah party militias and Shabwa special forces. The report covers the period from 2019 to 2022. The network documented a total of about 750 cases of violations, including 440 cases of violations and enforced disappearances. The aim of this conference is also to present examples of cases of these violations and to give victims the opportunity to attend and speak directly to the media about their suffering, humiliation, degrading and cruel experiences and what they were subjected to inside the special forces prisons and basements and cells of Abd Rabbo al-Akab in Shabwa Governorate.”