The anniversary of the September 26 Revolution has become a chance for Yemenis to voice their opposition to Houthi control in northern Yemen. This revolution, which began in 1962, ended the rule of the Houthis’ predecessors and established the republic.
Ahead of a potential uprising this week, the Houthis have launched a wave of arrests, detaining dozens of activists in Ibb Governorate, 193 kilometers south of the Houthi-run capital of Sana’a.
Among those arrested are leaders from the General People’s Congress (GPC), the party founded by the late President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
Residents in Ibb who spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat have reported that Houthi intelligence has deployed armed units across neighborhoods and increased surveillance on social media.
In the city, over 50 young people have been arrested as part of the crackdown. Authorities are also checking the phones and vehicles of passersby for messages celebrating the anniversary of the revolution, which many Yemenis view as a key moment for change in the country.
Sources report that the Houthis have increased their presence in Ibb, particularly in the old neighborhood, a center for opponents of their rule.
They are stopping pedestrians and searching phones and vehicles for national flags or materials promoting celebrations for the revolution’s anniversary.
Dozens of activists have been arrested, including Mohammed Al-Kathiri and Amjad Marai from Al-Ahwal Ramadan neighborhood, and Yahya Al-Jashani from the old area.
Also detained are teacher Abdul Aziz Al-Fadhli and lawyer Akram Al-Tahiri from Jarafah, both taken to an unknown location. Young activist Yahya Al-Qashab was arrested in Al-Daleel for calling for celebrations commemorating the September 26 Revolution.
In the Al-Sadah district of Ibb Governorate, residents report that Houthi intelligence, led by security chief Abu Ahmed Al-Washli, has conducted raids on homes, abducting 31 people from the district center and nearby villages.
They are accused of writing about the September 26 Revolution and planning celebrations.
Among those detained are several teachers, including Amin Al-Ashoul, Abdul Ilah Al-Yajouri, and Ahmad Al-Maghni, the deputy head of the district’s examination office, as well as Ghaleb Shazer and Abdu Al-Duwairi.
