The Yemeni government is preparing to blacklist several Houthi leaders and entities in implementation of its decision to classify the Iran-backed militia as a terrorist group.
Houthi government, military, and political officials, alongside any individual who has been proven to be involved in crimes, wars, or crimes that violate international humanitarian law will be blacklisted.
Moreover, the Yemeni government will pursue Houthi interests and financial networks around the world.
Yemeni Foreign Minister Ahmad Awad bin Mubarak, speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat via videoconference, affirmed that designating Houthis as a terrorist organization is not merely symbolic and that it will have repercussions on the group.
He, however, asserted that the blacklisting of Houthis will not affect humanitarian relief operations in Yemen. Mubarak also reminded that peace remains the group’s first and foremost enemy.
The Yemeni government decided to classify the Houthis as a terrorist group, following the militia’s insistence on targeting vital oil facilities. This matter damages the livelihood of Yemeni citizens, according to Mubarak.
“All the group’s actions and violations against the Yemeni people are terrorist in nature,” affirmed Mubarak, nothing that some Houthi leaders have been placed on international terrorist lists for their horrific practices, such as raping women and recruiting child soldiers.
Additionally, Houthis have bombed mosques and attacked civilian and economic institutions both inside Yemen and in neighboring Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
“What we have been saying for years is being echoed by the whole world, the UN Security Council, and the Arab League,” emphasized Mubarak.
“Houthis must know that they will not go unpunished for everything they do towards civilians, according to the lowest principles of international law. For us, the issue is moral and constitutional,” asserted the top diplomat.
The Yemeni government has adopted a package of urgent procedural policies to apply the National Defense Council's decision designating the Houthis as a terrorist group, revealed Mubarak. The procedures focused on two main legal and economic courses.
Under the legal course, blacklists would be updated to include Houthi political and field leaders, people working for the group in the capacity of ministers or heads of government institutions, people blacklisted by other countries and bodies, people convicted and involved in war crimes or human rights violations, connivers involved in targeting economic facilities and threatening shipment companies.
The Yemeni government has also prepared a list of entities and companies involved in funding Houthi terrorists. Necessary steps were also taken to track down funding networks abroad. All these entities and firms will be banned.
“We will communicate with all countries through official, legal and security channels to ensure the circulation of blacklisted names and entities. This is to prosecute all terrorists, and to ask countries to freeze their funds,” Mubarak told Asharq Al-Awsat.
Additionally, Mubarak revealed that there will also be many other measures that will be announced in due course.
