Yemen: Demand release of unjustly detained education expert

Moujib al-Mikhlafi, a respected education specialist from Yemen, has been unjustly held by the Huthi authorities since October 10, 2023, in Sana’a, Yemen. After his arrest, he vanished for 21 days and was incommunicado for more than a month at a Huthi-controlled security and intelligence center in Sana’a, where he is still detained. He has not been charged and is being denied access to legal representation. In March of this year, his family’s worries grew when they learned his health was worsening. Moujib al-Mikhlafi has pre-existing health conditions, including diabetes and high blood pressure. He must be released immediately.

Here’s what you can do:

Write to the spokesperson for Yemen’s Ansarullah Movement urging them to:

• Immediately release Moujib al-Mikhlafi.
• Pending his release, ensure he is protected from torture and other ill-treatment.
• Grant him access to legal representation, regular family contact, and adequate healthcare.

Background and legal challenges

Moujib al-Mikhlafi has been a committed education expert and trainer at the Ministry of Education in Sana’a, Yemen, for 24 years. His work primarily focused on training education staff at schools in child rights, peacebuilding, conflict resolution, dialogue, and nonviolent communication. His career was abruptly halted when he was detained on October 10, 2023.

Following his arrest, his family reached out for help. They appealed to the head of the Supreme Political Council and the security and intelligence service’s leader. They also filed a complaint with the legal unit at the office of the Huthi leader, Abdul Malik al-Huthi. Unfortunately, they have not received any response.

This arbitrary detention breaches both Yemeni law and international agreements, specifically the Yemeni Criminal Procedures Law and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Yemen has ratified.

Wider context of human rights abuses

This incident is part of a larger pattern. Since 2015, various groups, including the Huthi authorities, the internationally recognized government, and the Southern Transitional Council, have engaged in arbitrary detentions, disappearances, harassment, torture, ill-treatment, and biased trials.

Amnesty International reports that numerous journalists, human rights activists, scholars, and members of the Baha’i community have been unjustly arrested, tortured, disappeared, and unfairly tried by the Huthi authorities.

These individuals were targeted simply for their professional activities or for exercising their rights to freedom of expression, association, and religious and philosophical beliefs.

Please take action as soon as possible until July 8, 2024! The UA will be duly updated should there be the need for further action.