Human Rights Violations in Marib
Yemen – Marib: Thursday, May 16, 2024
Musaala Organization for Human Rights said today that all parties to the conflict in Yemen have failed to fulfill their obligations to take all possible measures to protect civilians from the effects of hostilities and to abide by the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precaution in attacks. Parties to the conflict, particularly the Houthis, continue to launch indiscriminate attacks prohibited under international humanitarian law, and parties to the conflict fail to take all feasible precautions to minimize civilian casualties.
A new report issued by Musaala Organization for Human Rights today revealed civilian casualties and other harms among the Civilians including IDPs in Marib governorate as a result of their exposure to different patterns and multiple violations committed by the parties to the conflict that affected the basic rights and freedoms including direct targeting of civilians, mines and unexploded ordnance, child recruitment, arbitrary detention, torture, arbitrary disappearance, and arbitrary killing.
The “Continuous Death” report contained more than (60) incidents of violations that varied between targeting civilians, whether by aerial bombardment, ground bombardment, direct targeting, arrest, enforced disappearance and torture, in addition to violations related to public and private property, whether by destruction, bombing or looting, which occurred between January 2019 and March 2024. These violations were monitored by the field research team in Musaala organization and verified by visiting the places of incidents of violations, interviewing victims and witnesses and examining medical reports.
Mahdi Balghith, Chairperson of Musaala Organization for Human Rights, said: “Since the beginning of the ongoing conflict till now, The Civilians including IDPs in Marib are exposed to various types of violations, starting from obstructing the delivery of humanitarian aid to them, and even targeting them militarily, which doubled their misery and suffering. The aerial and ground bombardment of populated areas, and the direct targeting of IDPs camps and sites in Marib governorate, caused severe human losses among civilians and damage to civilian property.”
Balghith added that: “We urge an investigation into human rights violations in Yemen and highlight the critical need for an independent international commission of inquiry. Our deep concern is fueled by escalating reports of violations, particularly attacks on civilians and infrastructure. We call on the international community to reconsider establishing a comprehensive and unbiased investigation, emphasizing the necessity of transparency to reach justice, peace, and stability in the region.”
The results of the field research conducted by Musaala organization showed that these types of violations have led to the creation of tragic psychological, economic, and social conditions for the victims and their families, which also indicates that the parties may use these violations to spread terror among members of society; The feeling of insecurity and fear caused by the violations is not limited to the relatives of the victims, but to communities and the entire community.
This report aims to shed light on the patterns of violations committed by all parties to the conflict in Yemen against civilians and displaced persons, which were monitored by the field research team of Musaala Organization in Marib Governorate. The field research team of the organization consists of lawyers, journalists and human rights defenders who have extensive experience in monitoring, documenting and analyzing violations related to international humanitarian law and international human rights law. We also aim to strengthen the responsibility of the parties to protect human rights, as the protection of human rights and the prevention of violations is their legal responsibility. The role of the report is to help them fulfill their legal responsibilities towards their citizens, in addition to the contribution in raising public awareness about human rights violations related to civilians and changes in patterns of violations during the reporting period.
The report covers incidents and violations committed during the period from January 2019 to March 2024 through field visits to interview victims, relatives of victims and eyewitnesses. The Monitoring and Documentation Unit at Musaala Organization analyzed the data and prepared this report.
According to the report's recommendations, Musaala for Human Rights called on all parties to the conflict to fulfill their legal, humanitarian, and moral obligations, to condemn all violations as crimes under international and national law, including the protection of civilians and civilian objects during the conflict, and to abide by the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precaution in attacks, and to stop launching indiscriminate attacks prohibited under international humanitarian law. and take all possible measures to protect civilians from the effects of hostilities.
Musaala Organization for Human Rights reminds all parties to the conflict of the need to take measures aimed at preventing crises and conflicts that lead to displacement or forced displacement, whether the forced displacement is arbitrary or permitted, so the authorities have a duty to provide assistance and protection to the internally displaced and support reaching durable solutions for them. Musaala Organization for Human Rights renewed its call for the formation of an independent international mechanism to investigate violations by all parties to the conflict in Yemen.
Download the PDF report: ( Click Here )
