Facing Charges That Could Lead to Death Penalty.. Houthis Try 8 Employees of Relief Organizations

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International organizations Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch said today, Tuesday, that the Houthi authorities in Yemen have referred at least 8 individuals working in the fields of human rights and humanitarian aid to criminal prosecution since August 18, on charges related to espionage, which could carry the death penalty.

The organizations clarified in a joint statement that among those referred for trial are two employees of the United Nations, a consultant for the international organization, along with five individuals who worked with international and local organizations in the fields of health, human rights, and humanitarian aid.

The organizations called on the Houthis to stop these prosecutions and to release 'unconditionally' the eight individuals, along with dozens of United Nations employees and civil society organization workers whom they said the group has been arbitrarily detaining for the past two years.

The statement added that these prosecutions represent the latest escalation in the campaign of repression being waged by Houthi authorities against civil society in areas under their control, noting that more than 100 employees and workers from the United Nations and civil society organizations have been detained since May 31, 2024.

He pointed out that the eight detainees are still in custody, and their health conditions are deteriorating, with some suffering from diabetes, another at risk of glaucoma, while one of them has stomach cancer and is receiving chemotherapy during his detention.

The statement quoted family members of some of the detainees saying that they were forced to confess to espionage charges under torture or the threat of it.

According to the statement, the eight individuals referred to the specialized criminal prosecution in Sana'a face charges of 'espionage' and 'aiding the enemy' under Articles 127 and 128 of the Yemeni Penal Code, which are charges that carry the death penalty.

The prosecution also accused the detainees, according to the statement, of committing acts related to their humanitarian and rights activities, and leveled accusations that the organizations said were 'vague and overly broad.'

The statement mentioned that all eight detainees have been deprived of adequate communication with their lawyers, noting that the Houthi group has tightened its control over the judiciary in the areas under its control, and has used the specialized criminal court in Sana'a, according to the organizations, as a tool for political repression.

On February 11, 2025, a World Food Program relief worker died while in custody of the Houthis, raising increasing concerns about the conditions of dozens of other detainees, according to the statement.

The two organizations stated that many of the detainees were arrested without warrants, and were forcibly disappeared for months before their detention was acknowledged and their whereabouts revealed, while several were denied medical care, including individuals suffering from serious health conditions.