A Press Release on NCIVHR’s Activities during October 2022

The National Commission to Investigate Alleged Violations to Human Rights (NCIAVHR) emphasizes its commitment to inform the victims and the national, regional and international public opinion of the recent progress of the field activities by monthly press releases.

In this brief release, the Commission presents an explanation of the most important tasks and updates, especially after the recent decision of the Human Rights Council at its 51st session to renew confidence in the Commission, support it to carry out its work as the peer international investigation committees. The Commission also met with the President of the Presidential Leadership Council and hand him the tenth periodic report as stipulated in the resolution create the Commission.

During the month of October, the Commission completed the documentation and investigation of (221) incidents of violations committed in previous periods, related to international humanitarian law and international human rights law, including (75) incidents of targeting civilians in different governorates, in which (29) people were killed, including (5) women, (9) children, and (58) wounded, including (5) women and (16) children.

Moreover, the Commission monitored (21) victims of the explosion of mines and explosives, including (3) dead men and (18) wounded, including five children and three women. It also documented (95) victims of arbitrary arrest in the governorates of Amanat Al Asimah, Hajjah, Saada, Taiz, Lahj, Dhamar, Marib and Aden, (51) Incidents of destruction of public and private property, and documenting (7) incidents of torture and sexual violence.

Within the framework of field investigation activities in all Yemeni governorates, and in conjunction with the painful incidents in Taiz governorate, which led to the death and injury some civilians, the Commission team visited and investigated directly and immediately the incidents of bombing and targeting of civilians and the explosion of mines.

The field visits program included the sites of violations in the neighborhoods of Al-Dawa and Saylah Oqba Munif in the Salh district, the Old Airport district in the Mudhaffar district, and parts of the Maqbanah district. In these areas, the team inspected the effects of the bombing, examined the remnants of the projectiles used in those incidents, and conducted interviews with a number of witnesses and injured victims.

In the same context, the Commission’s teams visited the areas of Karsh and Al-Shareja in Lahj governorate, and listened to some victims in the areas of Morays and Qataba in Al-Dhalea governorate and Al-Durayhimi, Al-Tahita and Hays areas in Al-Hodeidah governorate.

The Commission’s field team in Taiz governorate visited all departments of the Central Prison, Military Intelligence and Political Security Prison, inspected them, and assessed the conditions of inmates there and follow up the release of a number of them.

As part of strengthening the internal accountability mechanisms, the Commission held meetings with the head of the political security apparatus in the republic, and the directors of security, military intelligence and political security in Taiz governorate. In the meeting, the Commission listened to their responses to some incidents investigated by the Commission and to a number of memos to military and security authorities in the governorates of Aden, Taiz, Shabwa, Ma’rib and Lahj.

Eager to communicate with international actors in the file of human rights and civil society, the National Committee discussed with the international humanitarian law specialist in the Security Council sanctions committee information about the recent violations.

The Commission also held meetings with a number of representatives of local and international civil society organizations working in the field of human rights promotion and protection, in which information was exchanged, and a number of sniper and bombing victims were referred to centers and organizations working in the health, psychological and relief fields.

The Commission finds this release an occasion to urge all parties to abide by the principles of international humanitarian law, protect civilians in areas where military operations are taking place, and facilitate the access of aid and humanitarian relief to all governorates, especially the confrontation areas.

Produced by: of the National Commission to Investigate
Alleged Violations to Human Rights (NCIAVHR)
Eden, Wednesday, November 2, 2022

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