The 51st Session of the Human Rights Council

12 September 2022 - 7 October 2022

Item 4: Human rights situations that require the Council's attention

27 September 2022

Statement of the Association Ma’onah for Human Rights and Immigration and Geneva International Centre for Justice (GICJ)

Delivered by Danya Al-Thani / GICJ

Thank you, Mr. President,

Ma’onah and Geneva International Centre for Justice would like to first draw attention to the grave human rights violation in Yemen. Since the takeover of power by the Houthi militias, Yemeni people have been subjected to extrajudicial killings, gender-based violence, torture, and arbitrary arrest. 

The thousands of Yemenis subjected to arrest, kidnap, or other forms of forced disappearance by Iranian-backed, Houthi militias, are denied access to the basic rights of a fair trial. 

The methods used by the Houthi militias to control the population, include torture and murder of civilians as well as internet and media restrictions. On the 18th of September 2021, Houthis publicly executed 9 civilians in the Hodeidah governorate without access to fair judicial process. Civilians have also been forcedly displaced by the confiscation of lands in the Beit al-Faqih district with dozens arrested. To stop violations against the Yemeni people, the UN must urgently identify the Houthi militia as a terrorist organisation.

On another urgent matter, we express our deep concern about the ongoing human rights abuses in Iran and strongly condemn the disproportionate use of force against protesters. Iran must respect the right to freedom of expression, assembly, and association. We call on the international community, including this council, to take concrete steps to protect the protesters in Iran. Iran must be held accountable for all its violations.

Thank you.