IHL & HRL VIOLATIONS - JANUARY 2019

ANSAR ALLAH/HOUTHI MOVEMENT

Hajjah Governorate

On January 26, Houthi forces shelled a camp for displaced persons in the Hajjah Governorate, killing eight people wounding thirty. This is a violation of rules 3 and 6, which protect civilians from attack.

San’a Governorate  

Over one hundred members of the Baha’i faith community remain detained by Houthi forces. On January 1, six prominent members were charged with further crimes that critics argue are being used as justification for religious discrimination. The Houthis continue to refuse to exchange the Baha’i detainees in the UN-facilitated prisoner swaps. Rule 99 forbids the arbitrary deprivation of liberty and the United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief called the persecution of the Baha’i faith a violation of religious liberties

Ta’iz Governorate

On January 5, a woman and a child were killed while sixteen other civilians were wounded in the city of Ta’iz after Houthi forces shelled their residential neighborhood. This is a violation of rules 3 and 6, which protect civilians from attack.

On January 28, a cameraman for the Emirates News Agency was killed along with five other civilians by a bomb in the city of al-Mokha. A reporter was also injured in the attack believed to have been perpetrated by the Houthis. Rule 34 establishes that civilian journalists are to be protected from attack; rules 3 and 6 prohibit harming civilians.

Country-wide

The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) reported that it had recorded more than 260 civilian casualties attributed to Houthi mines and IEDs. December 2018 and January 2019 were the deadliest months since the organization started covering the war in Yemen. Rules 3 and 6 protect civilians from attack while rule 22 requires combatants to take measures to protect civilians. Rule 81 requires combatants to be discretionary in their placement of mines, so as not to harm civilians.

The Yemen Organization for Combating Human Trafficking accused the Houthis of detaining and torturing dozens of women without trial and using them to blackmail their families. This is a violation of rule 90, which forbids the use of torture, and rule 96, which forbids the taking of hostages. It is also a violation of 99, which prohibits arbitrary deprivation of liberty.

SAUDI-LED COALITION

San’a Governorate

On the night of January 19, the Saudi-led coalition began intense airstrikes on the capital that killed at least two civilians. This is a violation of rules 3, 6, and 22; rules 3 and 6 protect civilians from attack and rule 22 requires combatants to take precautions against harming civilians.

Hajjah Governorate

On January 29, a coalition airstrike in the Kashir District killed one civilian and wounded two more. This is a violation of rules 3 and 6, which protect civilians from attack.

MULTIPLE PARTIES

Country-wide

According to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, there were at least twenty-four civilians killed by remote shelling or landmines in January. These are violations of rules 3 and 6.