The Yemeni Center for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Violations and Torture (Will and Hope) Condemns the Houthi Abduction of Activist and Educator Fathiya Al-Hada

The Yemeni Center for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Violations and Torture (Will and Hope) expresses its strong condemnation and denunciation of the raid by elements of the Houthi Security and Intelligence Service in Sana’a on the home of citizen Fathiya Hussein Ali Al-Hada, abducting her and taking her to the notorious Shamlan detention center belonging to the National Security. This step represents a blatant violation of basic freedoms and a flagrant infringement on the rights of Yemeni women.

Documented facts indicate that the raid, which took place on Hayel Street in the capital Sana’a, was carried out without any legal justification or judicial warrants, and was accompanied by an arbitrary search of the house and the confiscation of her personal belongings. This constitutes a grave breach of the sanctity of homes guaranteed under national laws and international covenants, particularly the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Information indicates that the arrest was based on a malicious tip-off, reflecting a dangerous decline that the Houthis have consistently pursued by using law enforcement agencies to settle scores and terrorize civilians.

Furthermore, targeting the victim, considering her professional background as an educational teacher and a former employee of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), raises serious concerns about the safety of workers in the humanitarian and educational sectors, and confirms the continuous approach of restricting civilian cadres.

The Yemeni Center for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Violations and Torture (Will and Hope) holds the Houthi militia fully legally and morally responsible for the life and safety of citizen Fathiya Al-Hada. It demands her immediate and unconditional release, and ensuring her right to communicate with her family and obtain legal representation.

The Yemeni Center for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Violations and Torture (Will and Hope) also calls on the international community and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to take a firm stance against the escalating phenomenon of kidnapping women and enforced disappearance, and to work on activating accountability mechanisms to ensure that those involved in these gross violations do not escape punishment.

Issued by the Yemeni Center for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Violations and Torture (Will and Hope)

Wednesday, April 15, 2026 – Republic of Yemen