Houthi militias have intensified abduction campaigns in areas under their control, coinciding with ongoing local and international efforts to finalize prisoner and detainee exchange deals. This surge has raised concerns that the issue is being used as leverage in negotiations. Human rights sources reported that the militia has recently conducted raids and abductions targeting social figures, merchants, politicians, and ordinary citizens, as well as elements within their own security apparatus. These operations have been concentrated in the capital, Sana'a, and several governorates, most notably Ibb. Concurrently, there has been an increase in deaths within Houthi prisons, prompting calls for independent investigations into the circumstances and accountability for those responsible. These developments occur as intensive efforts are underway to complete a major prisoner exchange between the Yemeni government and the Houthi group. This raises questions about the motivations behind the continued abduction campaigns and the expansion of detainee numbers shortly before potential releases. The organization "Rights Radar for Human Rights" has documented the deaths and torture of 2,928 victims in Houthi prisons since September 2014. Another report documented that 1,893 abductees, including children, women, and the elderly, were subjected to torture between 2018 and 2026. The report also recorded the deaths of 394 abductees under torture and 32 cases of extrajudicial killings within the prisons. The organization has called upon the United Nations and human rights organizations to increase pressure to halt abduction campaigns, release all arbitrarily detained individuals, and initiate independent international investigations into the violations committed within the prisons. |
