Following in the footsteps of the Taliban and terrorist groups – Houthi tightening restrictions on Yemeni women

Houthi violations and crimes violate basic rights and the public and private lives of Yemeni women and the Taliban and terrorist groups continue to harass women in all respects and deny them their most basic rights. The Iranian-backed Houthi militia has issued a circular to auto repair and washing workshops in the abducted capital, Sana’a, not to receive any cars driven by a woman without a Mahram.

Government condemnation

The Yemeni government condemned the Houthi directives, which deny Yemeni women the most basic of their rights. Yemeni Information Minister Ali Muammar al-Eryani said the circular is part of its systematic policies to harass women, prevent them from participating in public life and restrict their role to homes, following the Taliban’s example.

Continuous escalation

The Houthi militia has recently escalated its repression and harassment of women through a number of measures, including banning them from traveling between the provinces, traveling through Sanaa airport without a male guardian, visiting the family section in restaurants until marriage is confirmed, imposing special dress codes and banning them from sitting in public parks.

A report by Roaya said the Houthi terrorist militia continues to impose more repressive measures, limiting women’s freedom and participation in public life and restricting their ability to move in the streets, in public places and in their workplaces, in light of the silence of the United Nations, human rights organizations and bodies, and the defense of women’s issues.

Urgent intervention

Ahmed Jabbari, a Yemeni human rights activist, said the international community, the United Nations, human rights organizations and bodies must condemn the escalating Houthi repression of women and confront the militia’s attempts to impose its extremist, reactionary views on society by force.

The Houthi militia has imposed a package of extremist measures on women in areas under its control, confiscating their freedom and restricting their movement in the streets, public places and workplaces, he said. Most recently, Houthi issued a circular banning women from sitting on either side of the Old Sanaa Liquid – located in the center of the hijacked capital Sanaa.

The Yemeni human rights activist continued: The Houthi militia has committed more than 1893 incidents of abduction, torture and rape against women since December 2017, among them are minors in the criminal investigations prisons controlled by the militia, pointing out that Houthi leaders and supervisors rape women in prisons, subject them to sexual torture, in addition to killing and maiming, explaining that the Houthi exploitation of women is the most heinous, and has been directly and indirectly targeted; As a result, their exposure to violence has increased dramatically.