Yemen’s Bin Aziz: Dozens of Prisoners Died under Torture in Houthi Prisons

Yemen’s Chief of Staff Saghir bin Aziz meets with Daphnee Maret, head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) delegation in Yemen, in Marib. (Saba)
Yemen’s Chief of Staff Saghir bin Aziz meets with Daphnee Maret, head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) delegation in Yemen, in Marib. (Saba)
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Yemen’s Bin Aziz: Dozens of Prisoners Died under Torture in Houthi Prisons

Yemen’s Chief of Staff Saghir bin Aziz meets with Daphnee Maret, head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) delegation in Yemen, in Marib. (Saba)
Yemen’s Chief of Staff Saghir bin Aziz meets with Daphnee Maret, head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) delegation in Yemen, in Marib. (Saba)

Yemen’s Chief of Staff Saghir bin Aziz accused the Iran-backed Houthi militias of killing dozens of detainees under torture in their prisons.

He called for international pressure to be exerted on the militias to make them cease their violations, especially regarding the torture of prisoners and recruitment of children.

He made his remarks in wake of government and rights reports that said the Houthis have intensified their campaign of arrests against politicians, even among leading members of the General People's Congress in Sanaa.

The militias have also accused prisoners of collaborating with the United States and Israel, with rights groups expressing their concern that they may be executed.

Bin Saghir held talks in Marib with Daphnee Maret, head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) delegation in Yemen, on the situation of the prisoners held in Houthi jails and efforts carried out by rights groups in addressing the militias’ crimes and violations, reported the Saba state news agency.

Bin Saghir stressed that Yemen’s legitimate authorities are offering all forms of support to the ICRC so that it can perform its duties. He added that the Houthis continue to violate international laws and commit crimes against wrongfully detained prisoners.

Meanwhile, Information Minister in the legitimate government Moammar Al-Eryani strongly condemned the Houthi campaign of arrests, which he said targeted Sanaa and other regions under their control.

He said the militias are closely watching the remaining members of the General People's Congress who are still living in regions under their control.

Dozens of their members have been recently detained by the militias.

The Houthis are also keeping lawmakers, politcal and tribal figures, and former state officials under close watch. Many have been barred from travel.

Such practices demonstrate that the Houthis are terrorists, who reject partnership and coexistence with others. They adopt force, violence and terror to consolidate their power in complete disregard of human rights, he went on to say.

Eryani called on the international community and United Nations to end their “terrible shameful silence” over the Houthi violations and work seriously toward putting an end to their “systematic crimes.”

He also urged them to designate the militias as terrorist, stop their sources of funding and support the legitimate government in imposing its control over all Yemeni territories.

The Yemeni Network for Rights and Freedoms condemned the Houthis for their attempt to execute some 11 citizens in the Tihamah region on charges of collaborating with the US and Israel.

In a statement to the media, it said the Houthis “continue to use the judiciary to oppress their opponents and people who reject their criminal practices against civilians in areas under their control.”

“They are trying through all criminal and terrorist means to silence free civil voices,” it added.

It stressed that the Houthis have used the judiciary in recent years as a means to settle scores with political rivals, issuing death penalties against hundreds of journalists, activists and women.

The Houthis have issued over 400 death sentences against opponents.

It said their “ugliest crime was the execution in cold blood of nine Tihamah residents in Sanaa’s central square in September 2021.”



UN Says ‘Deliberate’ Choices ‘Systematically’ Depriving Gazans

04 June 2025, Palestinian Territories, Nusirat: Displaced Palestinians gather in a charity kitchen to receive aid amid a shortage of food, in Nuseirat refugee camp. (Belal Abu Amer/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa)
04 June 2025, Palestinian Territories, Nusirat: Displaced Palestinians gather in a charity kitchen to receive aid amid a shortage of food, in Nuseirat refugee camp. (Belal Abu Amer/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa)
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UN Says ‘Deliberate’ Choices ‘Systematically’ Depriving Gazans

04 June 2025, Palestinian Territories, Nusirat: Displaced Palestinians gather in a charity kitchen to receive aid amid a shortage of food, in Nuseirat refugee camp. (Belal Abu Amer/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa)
04 June 2025, Palestinian Territories, Nusirat: Displaced Palestinians gather in a charity kitchen to receive aid amid a shortage of food, in Nuseirat refugee camp. (Belal Abu Amer/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa)

The UN aid chief said Wednesday that recent "horrifying scenes" of Gazans being killed while seeking food aid were the result of "deliberate choices that have systematically deprived" them of essentials to survive.

A US and Israeli-backed group operating aid sites in the Gaza Strip announced the temporary closure of its facilities on Wednesday, with the Israeli army warning that roads leading to distribution centers were "considered combat zones".

The announcement by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation follows a string of deadly incidents near the distribution sites it operates.

On Tuesday, 27 people were killed in southern Gaza when Israeli troops opened fire near a GHF aid site, with the military saying the incident was under investigation.

"The world is watching, day after day, horrifying scenes of Palestinians being shot, wounded or killed in Gaza while simply trying to eat," UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher said in a statement.

"Emergency medical teams have confirmed treating hundreds of trauma cases. Yesterday alone, dozens were declared dead at hospitals after Israeli forces said they had opened fire.

"This is the outcome of a series of deliberate choices that have systematically deprived two million people of the essentials they need to survive."

He echoed the call by UN chief Antonio Guterres for immediate independent investigations, saying they were not isolated incidents, and the perpetrators must be held accountable.

"No-one should have to risk their life to feed their children," said Fletcher.

The GHF began operations a week ago, but the UN and major aid groups have refused to cooperate with it over concerns it was designed to cater to Israeli military objectives.

Meanwhile the United Nations has described the amount of aid allowed into Gaza, after Israel partially lifted a more than two-month total blockade, as a trickle.

"We must be allowed to do our jobs: we have the teams, the plan, the supplies and the experience," said Fletcher, the UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator.

"Open the crossings -- all of them. Let in life-saving aid at scale, from all directions. Lift the restrictions on what and how much aid we can bring in.

"Ensure our convoys aren't held up by delays and denials. Release the hostages. Implement the ceasefire."