The Houthi Justice System Banishes the Minor Malik Al-Hubaishi and Abducts

The Yemeni Center for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Violations and Torture (Will and Hope) Tracks with Deep Outrage the Crimes of a Houthi Judge in Ibb

The Yemeni Center for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Violations and Torture (Will and Hope) has followed with deep condemnation and outrage the heinous crime committed by the Houthi militia-appointed judge, “Abdulrahim Al-Obeidi” (Head of the West Ibb Court), against the child Malik Al-Hubaishi and his family. The crime involved exiling the child, imprisoning the grandfather, and displacing the family.

This incident transcends mere “judicial corruption,” amounting to a crime against humanity and a flagrant violation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Exploiting power to oppress children is an unprecedented form of terrorism. The tragedy began with an ordinary childhood squabble between the child “Malik Al-Hubaishi” and the Houthi judge’s son. Instead of acting as an impartial arbiter, the judge became a ruthless adversary, wielding his authority to oppress the entire family.

The Houthi judge ordered the imprisonment of the child’s father without any legal justification. Furthermore, he shut down the shops of citizens who attempted to mediate a reconciliation, demonstrating mafia-like behavior that has absolutely no connection to judicial institutions.

• Moreover, he sentenced a ten-year-old child to exile (forced displacement), setting a precedent that is truly “stranger than fiction.”

The Houthi judge, Abdulrahim Al-Obeidi, issued an unlawful ruling banishing the child “Malik” from the city of Ibb in exchange for his father’s release. This constitutes a crime of forced displacement and a deliberate tearing of the family fabric.

Not content with this, the judge subsequently detained the elderly grandfather as a hostage, painting a picture of the most heinous forms of psychological and physical terrorism against civilians.

In documenting this grave crime, the Yemeni Center asserts that Houthi militia “justice”—under the guise of the “judiciary” in Houthi-controlled areas—is merely a whip for torture, an instrument for sectarian revenge, and a tool for racial and regional discrimination. The courts are being weaponized to humiliate citizens and settle personal scores.

These actions constitute a compound crime. Detaining the grandfather and the father as hostages for an act attributed to a child is an internationally prohibited “collective punishment” and a full-fledged kidnapping. Adding to the severity is the fact that the child is a minor.

The Yemeni Center for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Violations and Torture urgently calls upon the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and all international organizations dedicated to child protection to confront the crimes of the Houthi judge, “Abdulrahim Al-Obeidi.” It urges them to pressure the Houthi militia to immediately release all detained members of the Al-Hubaishi family and to restore their dignity.

The international community’s silence regarding these “Nazi-like” Houthi practices only emboldens the leaders of the terrorist Houthi militia to continue turning the lives of Yemenis into a living hell, utilizing the judiciary as an instrument for displacement and the persecution of civilians.

Issued by: The Yemeni Center for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Violations and Torture May 2, 2026 – Republic of Yemen