Report: Over 2,700 Cases of Torture, Death in Houthi Prisons Since 2014

The Yemeni National Commission for Prisoners and Detainees has documented more than 2,700 cases of torture and death in Houthi militia prisons since the group's 2014 coup, stating that these violations constitute crimes against humanity under international law.

In a statement marking the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, the Commission reported 2,388 documented cases of torture and 324 deaths. Among the victims were 275 women and 67 children, while the fatalities included 12 children and 2 women—highlighting the militia’s systematic targeting of vulnerable groups.

The Commission disclosed that the Houthi militia runs an extensive network of 778 prisons and detention centers across 17 Yemeni governorates, including official, secret, and private facilities where detainees endure brutal physical and psychological torture.

Documented torture methods include severe beatings, burning, electrocution, suspension by limbs, prolonged solitary confinement, denial of medical care, and sexual and verbal abuse—practices that flagrantly violate international humanitarian law and the Rome Statute.

Expressing deep concern over escalating abuses, the Commission urged immediate international action, including the formation of an independent investigative committee to hold perpetrators accountable. It demanded the unconditional release of all forcibly disappeared detainees and the closure of secret prisons, while calling for unfettered access for human rights organizations to detention sites.

The Commission warned that global inaction not only fails torture victims but also emboldens the Iran-backed Houthi militia to continue its atrocities. It called on the international community to use this occasion to pressure the militia to end its torture practices and deliver justice for victims.