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

ANSAR ALLAH/HOUTHI MOVEMENT

Al-Hudaydah Governorate

Houthi forces continue to place land and sea mines in densely populated areas and in civilian facilities around al-Hudaydah Governorate. This is a violation of rule 22, which requires combatants to take precautions against harming civilians. Rule 81 requires parties to be discriminatory with their placement of landmines, so as not to harm civilians.

Country-wide

In December, the World Food Programme (WFP) discovered that food aid was not reaching civilians in Houthi-controlled territories. Instead, the WFP said the food is being stolen and sold by Houthi elements. This is a violation of rule 55, which forbids interference with access to humanitarian relief.

ANSAR ALLAH/HOUTHI MOVEMENT

Al-Hudaydah Governorate

In November, fighting continued between the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition in Hudaydah City. Houthi fighters fortified their positions around a hospital, a violation of rule 22, which requires combatants to take precautions to protect civilians.

Ta’iz Governorate

The United Nations Security Council released a report stating that the Houthis concealed weapons and fighters around civilians in al-Makha deliberately to avoid attack. This amounts to using civilians as human shields, a violation of IHL rule 97.

ANSAR ALLAH/HOUTHI MOVEMENT

San’a Governorate

On October 25, officers from the Houthi-controlled National Security bureau detained eighteen journalists participating in a civil society event in San’a. Fifteen were released shortly thereafter and three were held for twelve hours. Journalists are granted civilian status in IHL by rule 34, and are offered civilian protections. Their detention is a violation of rule 99, which prohibits the arbitrary deprivation of liberty.

Pictures posted on October 26 from Sanhan, a suburb of San’a, appear to support claims that the Houthis are using children as human shields. In addition to rules protecting civilians, this is a violation of rule 135, which provides special protections to children affected by armed conflict, and rule 136, which prohibits the recruitment of child soldiers. Human shields are specifically forbidden under rule 97.