Detained people in Yemen continue to face grave human rights violations as arbitrary arrests, secret prisons, and unlawful detention practices persist across conflict zones. Recent calls from Yemeni leadership and international organizations have renewed global attention on the worsening Yemen prisoners’ rights crisis.
On January 12, 2026, President Rashad Al-Alimi publicly demanded the closure of all illegal detention facilities operating in southern Yemen and called for the immediate release of individuals held without legal basis. Many of these sites remain under the control of the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council and affiliated armed groups amid Yemen’s decade-long conflict.
Demand To Close Illegal Prisons In Southern Yemen
President Al-Alimi’s statement followed the Southern Transitional Council’s announcement on January 9 that it had dissolved after weeks of violent clashes with forces aligned with the Yemeni government and Saudi Arabia. Despite this declaration, concerns remain over continued control of detention facilities by STC-linked factions.
Human Rights Watch and the Associated Press have repeatedly documented the existence of secret prisons in southern Yemen operated by UAE forces and allied Yemeni security units. Reports indicate that detainees are often held incommunicado, denied access to lawyers, and subjected to ill-treatment.
Widespread Arbitrary Detentions By All Parties
Human Rights Watch’s findings show that arbitrary detention is not limited to a single actor. Violations have been attributed to multiple parties involved in the conflict, including:
- Southern Transitional Council forces
- Other UAE-backed armed factions
- Yemeni government security forces
- Houthi authorities in northern Yemen
Thousands of people have been detained over the past decade without formal charges or fair trials, worsening the humanitarian and human rights crisis nationwide.
Calls For Accountability And Independent Investigations
Niku Jafarnia, Yemen and Bahrain researcher at Human Rights Watch, stressed that coordinated action remains urgent. She noted that thousands of people have been unjustly detained during Yemen’s prolonged war and emphasised the need for immediate releases, accountability, and reparations for victims.
Jafarnia also highlighted the responsibility of Yemeni authorities to preserve evidence related to abuses and to grant independent investigators full access to informal detention facilities and secret prisons run by UAE forces and their local partners. Without transparency, long-term justice and reconciliation remain unattainable.
International human rights law strictly prohibits arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, and torture. Yemen remains bound by treaties protecting the rights of detained people, regardless of the ongoing conflict.
Failure to investigate abuses, close unlawful prisons, and release detainees places both domestic authorities and foreign backers at risk of international legal scrutiny. Human rights groups continue to urge immediate corrective measures to prevent further violations.
Growing International Pressure For Action
International organizations have renewed calls for urgent intervention to protect detained people in Yemen. Advocacy groups stress that silence and inaction enable continued abuse, while accountability and transparency remain essential for any sustainable peace process.
Further details on these violations can be found on the Human Rights Watch and United Nations Human Rights platforms, as well as on independent human rights and migration analysis outlets.
Key Takeaways
- Illegal detention facilities continue operating in southern Yemen.
- President Rashad Al-Alimi has called for immediate closures and releases.
- Arbitrary detentions affect thousands across Yemen.
- Secret prisons linked to UAE-backed forces remain a major concern.
- Independent investigations and evidence preservation are urgently needed.
- International pressure continues to grow over Yemen prisoners.
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