Following in Daesh’s Footsteps… The Houthis Spoil Yemeni Celebrations

The Houthi group is attempting to impose rigid teachings on Yemenis in areas under its control, mirroring extremist terrorist organizations such as Daesh, by introducing new restrictions on wedding hall owners in rural Sanaa. They have banned music, photography, and all forms of celebration, particularly in venues designated for women.

According to local sources in rural Sanaa, as reported by (Mareb Press), the Houthi group forced wedding hall owners and residents in a district of Sanaa’s rural province to comply with the new measures they introduced, which fall under what the group refers to as “religious regulations.”

Yemeni activists have circulated a document on social media, issued by a Houthi official, urging wedding venue owners and the residents of the district and its surrounding areas to stop all music and celebrations at weddings.

The document also sets the time for women’s wedding parties in the halls until 8 PM, banning photography, loudspeakers, and the groom’s entry into the hall to collect his bride. It also forbids inviting artists and musical bands to weddings.

The Houthis have threatened violators of these instructions with fines of up to 500,000 Yemeni rials, approximately 1,000 dollars.

The group justified these measures imposed on hall owners, artists, and residents of Sanaa by accusing them of violating the rules, restrictions, and instructions previously set by the group.

The Houthi decisions have been met with widespread condemnation and rejection by Yemeni parliamentarians, activists, human rights defenders, and artists, who have asserted that these actions are an assault on freedoms and echo the tactics of extremist groups.

Previously, the Houthi group had issued a similar directive obligating the residents of a village in Sanaa province to refrain from hiring musical groups for women’s wedding parties and banning the use of cameras, particularly mobile phones, at women’s celebrations.