February 5, 2019, Yemen: The Women's Solidarity Network condemns in the strongest terms the increasing domestic violence women face in areas under the control of the Houthi Group. We strongly condemn, in particular, the crime and violations Samira Muhammad Mahdi Massad and her four-year-old daughter, Baraa Ali Hussein Saleh, who were subjected to grave violations against them, Samira was kidnapped by the so-called Mahdi Ali Mahdi Massad, who is Samira's cousin, by the blessing From Samira's husband, who handed her over to her cousin himself, as the so-called Mahdi wanted to monopolize her share from a common inheritance between them. He chained her and locked her while she was nine months pregnant, where he used all types of torture, and at the beginning of her kidnapping, Samira gave birth while she was chained, her daughter Baraa, where Mahdi continued to torture them both and including the little girl for four years.


Samira’s eldest daughter, Sumaya, over the years appealed to Mahdi to release her mother and sister, but he did not respond. He continued to mistreat them both until Baraa was killed, cold blood after torturing her by putting out cigarettes on her body, kicking her, beating her, and raping her, according to the results of the forensic report. The local authorities in the Search Department went to Samira's detention site, and the chains were removed and released, and the killer was arrested. We stress the importance of protecting Samira and her family, who are currently under pressure to deny their right to justice.


In another horrific incident in Haziz district of Sana'a, Walid Abdo Abdullah Al-Dhabibi killed his wife Zahra Muhammad Muhsin Najeeb Al-Dhabibi with thirteen bullets in the yards of their home, and she is the mother of his six children, the youngest of whom is four years old. Zahraa suffered from the mistreatment of her husband, who was suffering economically and was demanding money to buy qat, which she obtained from the support of her family to feed her children, so he severely beat her several times before he killed her in cold blood.


Yesterday, the third session of the appeal for the murderer of Samiha Ali Abdullah Al-Asadi, who was killed by her brother Yunus Ali Abdullah Al-Asadi, was held in the campus of the West Trust Court in Sanaa, in the morning in the daytime, last year, while she was trying to file a case to transfer the guardianship to the court to obtain permission to get marry, which is her right guaranteed by law Then the treacherous killer caught her behind and killed her using a scalpel that struck her neck. There are fears of being complacent and being released due to his father standing by him.


Yesterday, the third appeals session was held in the case of Asmaa Al-Omeisi, a 23-year-old mother of two, who was arbitrarily detained in Sana'a, and who was tried in an unfair trial and was sentenced to death. Asmaa suffers from poor detention conditions, was targeted with beating, and showed signs of fatigue and exhaustion. She was emptied several times in the session and is in need of emergency medical care. The defense attorneys demanded that the verdict be overturned and her release.

Accordingly, the Women’s Solidarity Network denounces in the strongest terms the situation of women in Yemen and the injustice they have suffered, and we call on the Houthi group to the following:

First: The protection of women according to international humanitarian law and international custom, in particular Rule 134, which calls for the protection of women, in particular, their care and the fulfillment of their needs.

Second: The immediate release and dropping of the death sentence for Asma Al-Omeisi and all the arbitrary detention facilities and detainees, including civilians and civilians.

Third: Civil society organizations must work to support women victims of domestic violence and stand by them in all possible ways, such as advocacy, legal aid, and others.