Houthi Security Crackdown in Sanaa Includes Phone Searches, Detentions

Houthi militants have implemented stringent security measures in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, involving the inspection of travelers' mobile phones at city entrances and newly established checkpoints.

Local sources reported that elements affiliated with the Houthi-controlled Security and Intelligence apparatus were deployed in recent days at these new checkpoints. The inspections primarily targeted vehicles arriving from governorates under the control of the internationally recognized Yemeni government, as well as cars bearing license plates issued in those regions.

The sources added that security personnel are utilizing computer systems containing lists of wanted individuals to verify travelers' identities before subjecting their mobile phones to searches. This includes examining stored photos, videos, and files.

According to the sources, the campaign resulted in the apprehension of several men and women after authorities found content on their devices deemed hostile to the militia or containing images of military sites. Some individuals were transferred to detention centers without disclosure of their whereabouts or the specific charges against them.

Residents expressed growing concerns over the expanded surveillance, potential privacy violations, and restrictions on freedom of movement within the capital, amid ongoing security measures imposed by the group in areas under its control.