Association
On 23rd August 2026, the Houthi authorities transferred at least six detainees to the Specialised Criminal Prosecution in Sanaa. Those transferred reportedly included a UN employee, a UN consultant and three individuals who had worked for international and local non-governmental organisations. The move has been described by civil society as part of the Houthis’ continuing campaign of arbitrary arrests and enforced disappearances targeting dozens of UN personnel and staff of Yemeni and international civil society organisations since 31st May 2024, amid their longstanding record of torturing detainees.
Since the campaign began, dozens of people have been detained, with many reportedly arrested without warrants. Several detainees were forcibly disappeared for months, while others have been denied adequate access to legal representation, family visits and medical care, including individuals with serious health conditions. In a January 2026 report, Human Rights Watch also noted the Houthis raided the UN Common Accommodation Facility in Sanaa, and the offices of several UN agencies, international nongovernmental organisations, and local civil society organisations, in some cases taking their equipment. The targeting of UN and civil society staff in Yemen has previously been documented on the CIVICUS Monitor.
Expression
On 24th July 2026, journalist Mohammed Aydah was killed in eastern Yemen by an explosive device planted in his car. Aydah had been reporting for the Saudi-owned Al Arabiya and Al Hadath television channels since 2019.
Separately, on 27th June 2026, security forces in Marib detained journalist Hamoud Haza while he was covering a public event. He was held incommunicado and released two days later, only after he signed a pledge to not criticise the internationally recognised government and its minister of information.