In Cooperation with the Yemeni Center, Erada Discusses Human Rights Developments in Yemen with the U.S. Mission in Geneva

Geneva – Switzerland – September 21, 2026

The President of the Yemeni Center for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Violations and Torture “Will and Hope”, Sheikh Jamal Al-Maamari, held a meeting with Ms. Shamis Mohammed, representative of the Permanent Mission of the United States of America for Human Rights to the United Nations in Geneva, at the U.S. Embassy headquarters. During the meeting, recent developments regarding the human rights situation in Yemen were discussed, including violations against civilians, the situation of arbitrarily detained, abducted, and forcibly disappeared persons, and victims of torture, alongside recent field and humanitarian developments.

The President of the Yemeni Center for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Violations and Torture “Will and Hope”, Sheikh Jamal Al-Maamari, reviewed the violations documented by the Erada Organization in cooperation with the Yemeni Center during the recent Houthi military escalation in Taiz and Hodeidah governorates, and the accompanying killing and injury of civilians, forced displacement, widespread displacement, and destruction of civilian property and facilities, in addition to the targeting of IDP camps in Marib governorate with ballistic missiles and drones.

The President of the Erada Organization and the Yemeni Center handed the representative of the U.S. Mission three human rights reports containing monitoring and documentation findings, testimonies, and information on grave violations committed by the Houthi militia against civilians, primarily arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, torture, forced displacement, child recruitment, landmine planting, and house demolitions.

The meeting also addressed the continued abduction of humanitarian organization workers, the imposition of restrictions on their activities and the delivery of aid to beneficiaries, as well as the looting and seizure of humanitarian aid by the Houthis. The Erada Organization reviewed recent field developments, pointing out the expansion of Houthi militia control over large parts of the coastal strip reaching the Dhubab area near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, along with the grave violations accompanying military operations, including the killing of civilians, violations against persons outside combat, the destruction of civilian property and facilities in the Mokha, Hays, and Al-Kadhah areas, and the forced displacement of residents.

The Erada Organization, in cooperation with the Yemeni Center, warned of the humanitarian and security ramifications of this escalation, and the threat it poses to peace, food security, and regional and international security, as well as violations in areas adjacent to the Bab al-Mandab Strait and international maritime sea lanes, emphasizing the necessity of investigating violations, holding perpetrators accountable, and ensuring the protection of civilians in accordance with international law.

The President of the Erada Organization and the Yemeni Center reviewed the efforts of the organization and the center in monitoring and documenting violations, and following up on the files of arbitrarily detained, abducted, forcibly disappeared persons, and victims of torture, since the Houthis seized control of the capital, Sana’a, on September 21, 2014, until today. He noted ongoing work to trace the fate of the forcibly disappeared and those held in prisons and secret detention centers, prepare detailed files on violations and their perpetrators, and preserve evidence and testimonies to enhance opportunities for legal accountability and prevent impunity.

He emphasized that the continuation of the state of “no war, no peace” over past years did not put an end to civilian suffering and violations, but rather granted the Houthis sufficient time for military preparation, and “attempts to impose sectarian change and reshape the religious and sectarian identity of the population,” stressing that any path to peace must place the rights of victims at the top of its priorities, including the unconditional release of detainees and abductees, revealing the fate of the forcibly disappeared, ending child recruitment and landmine planting, and guaranteeing the rights of victims to justice, redress, reparations, and holding those involved in human rights violations accountable.

The Erada Organization, in cooperation with the Yemeni Center, reaffirmed that it will continue its monitoring, documentation, and advocacy work for victims’ rights, and cooperate with UN international mechanisms, diplomatic missions, and human rights organizations to contribute to enhancing accountability, delivering justice to victims, and ensuring perpetrators of violations do not escape punishment.

Issued by: The Yemeni Center for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Violations and Torture “Will and Hope”

Wednesday, September 23, 2026 – Yemen