The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has urged the Houthi group in Yemen to refrain from using educational, religious, and public institutions to disseminate hate speech, promote violence, and recruit children.
In a statement disseminated by the Yemeni news agency ‘Saba’, the sanctions committee of the UNSC implored the Houthi group to comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law. The statement further implored “non-state armed groups, such as the Houthis, to cease the continual misuse of educational, religious, and public institutions in Yemen for spreading hate speech, inciting violence, and child recruitment.”
This statement is based on recommendations from a team of experts who recently conducted investigations into the violations by the Houthi group, particularly their use of schools, religious institutions, and summer camps to embed extremist views, sow discord, brainwash youth and children, and instigate against Yemenis who oppose Houthi ideologies.
Meanwhile, Yemen’s Ministry of Human Rights has urged the international community and the UN’s special envoy to Yemen to take stringent measures and employ decisive language against the Houthi group concerning their ongoing atrocities against civilians.
The Ministry expressed its deep concerns over the oppression, repression, and brutalities against men, women, and children in Sana’a and other areas under Houthi control who were commemorating the anniversary of the September Revolution. The statement highlighted that, over the past 48 hours, Sana’a witnessed a rampant campaign of brutalities, rifle butt beatings, and wide-scale abductions, affecting over 1,000 civilians who were overcrowded into detention centers run by the Houthi group.
The release also pointed out the “death sentences issued by the Houthis against 30 military leaders in what it described as farcical trials,” criticizing the international community’s continued discourse on peace despite such actions.
On the security front, joint Yemeni forces on the west coast neutralized Houthi fire sources targeting displaced people gatherings in “Wadi Al-Hanaya”, west of Taiz, and populated villages south of Al-Hudaydah. Military media reported that stationed Yemeni forces in both “Al-Barh and Al-Hudaydah” sectors detected the artillery and machine gun sources and dealt with them firmly. One person was killed and six others, including a woman, were injured in a hand grenade explosion yesterday in the city of Taiz.
Yemen has been embroiled in a civil war since 2015, pitting the Houthi movement against the internationally recognized Yemeni government. The conflict has been further complicated by regional interests and interventions, primarily by Saudi Arabia and Iran.
The Houthi group, backed by Iran, has taken over large parts of the country, including the capital, Sana’a. Their takeover and subsequent actions have been a significant source of regional tension, and their alleged human rights abuses have raised international concern.
