Houthi Zakat Authority Members Assault, Detain Community Leader in Dhamar

Sheikh Ali Nasser Al-Adhra'i, the community leader of Al-Majd neighborhood in Dhamar's western district, was subjected to a brutal assault and dragging in the public street by elements affiliated with the Houthi-controlled "Zakat Authority," before being detained with the complicity of security agencies.

Local sources reported that five individuals belonging to the Houthi Zakat Authority intercepted Al-Adhra'i last Sunday evening, firing shots at him before proceeding to beat him severely and drag him on the asphalt. The assault resulted in serious injuries to his hands and feet, reportedly over alleged outstanding "zakat dues."

Sources added that instead of providing medical assistance to the victim or holding the assailants accountable, the authority's members forcibly took Al-Adhra'i and imprisoned him at the western district police station. This action has drawn widespread condemnation from residents and social figures.

The community leaders and notables of Dhamar have called on the militia's leadership to launch an immediate and urgent investigation into the incident and to put an end to the ongoing violations and abuses perpetrated by Zakat Authority employees against citizens and prominent figures in the city.