The phenomenon of abductions, witnessed in cities and provinces under Houthi militia control, has expanded to include artists, musicians, wedding hall owners, along with staff from foreign embassies and local and international humanitarian and human rights organizations.
Local sources reported that Houthi militias in the Amran province, north of Sanaa, kidnapped three female singers under the pretext that “singing is forbidden” in the province. Imad Abdullah, a sound engineer and music producer, mentioned, “Three female artists along with their mother left Sanaa to perform in Amran. As they were leaving the venue, they were intercepted by a Houthi patrol at the gate.” The patrol detained them on site and did not allow them to leave for their destination until they signed an agreement not to sing again in Amran.
Abdullah added, “Afterward, the four women were stopped at one of the Houthi checkpoints, and the artists were taken to the central prison (Sahb) under the pretext that singing is forbidden in Amran.”
In recent times, the Houthi militia has abducted about 15 individuals, including singers, musicians, sound engineers, and venue owners. Among those are artists Mohamed Al-Nisani and Bilal Al-Amiri, and the singer Najib Al-Shami, by orders from Houthi leader Abdulaziz Abu Khurfashah, recently appointed as the security director for Amran province.
According to sources, the artists were kidnapped from their homes, checkpoints, and some after returning from wedding parties, under the pretext of the targets refusing to comply with a previous decision that bans songs at events and weddings within Amran city.
The Houthi militias not only in Amran but in many of their controlled areas insist on using “Zamel” without rhythm in celebrations, whether weddings or special occasions.
Sources suggest that the Houthi authorities might be intensifying efforts to enforce a previous decision issued in June 2021, banning artists from attending events and weddings in Sanaa and their controlled areas. This indicates levels of religious and sectarian extremism and cultural and social closure practiced by the Houthis, akin to the behaviors of the Taliban, Al-Qaeda, ISIS, and other terrorist groups.
Houthi decisions have targeted various forms of artistic creativity, allowing only works that can be categorized in mobilization campaigns or promoting the clerical ideology adopted by the group.
In 2018, the Houthi militias issued a directive to public and private schools in Sanaa and provinces under their control to ban singing and musical and performance groups during school celebrations, emphasizing the need for prior permission from them to hold celebrations.
