An elderly man, reportedly over 70 years old, has died following days of alleged torture after being forcibly abducted by Houthi militias in the Zubaid district of southern Hodeidah province. The incident has intensified accusations against the group for human rights violations in areas under its control. According to local and human rights sources, Qassem Salem Ahmed Qaderi, a resident of the village of Safif Al-Ajami in the Bilad Al-Raqoud area of Zubaid, was abducted for three days. He was reportedly found in the Al-Badwah area in critical health condition, despite suffering from pre-existing hearing and vision impairments. Sources described Qaderi as having endured severe torture during his detention, including brutal beatings and the extraction of teeth and fingernails. He was allegedly left in Al-Badwah in a critical state. Residents discovered him and attempted to transport him to a hospital for medical attention, but he succumbed to his injuries en route. The incident reportedly began when Qaderi approached a site for distributing relief aid in Zubaid. A Houthi supervisor noticed an old passport in his possession bearing a stamp from a Saudi entity where Qaderi had worked approximately 30 years prior. The supervisor allegedly accused him of espionage and affiliation with what the Houthis term the "Saudi aggression," despite Qaderi's insistence that the passport and stamp were from his past employment. Qaderi was reportedly the sole provider for four of his disabled children, compounding the humanitarian impact of his death on his family. Rights advocates are calling for an independent and transparent investigation into the circumstances of his abduction, detention, and death, emphasizing the need to ascertain the cause of his injuries and why his body was not subjected to an independent forensic examination amid conflicting accounts of his demise. This event occurs within a broader context of repeated human rights reports detailing arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, and mistreatment in detention centers operated by Houthi militias, particularly in Hodeidah province. Activists and human rights defenders are demanding accountability for those involved in Qaderi's detention, torture, or death, and urging the protection of his family's rights. |
