Yemen

The killing by government security forces of at least six protesters in the Yemeni capital, Sana’a, must be promptly and impartially investigated, said Amnesty International.

“The gunning down of peaceful protesters in the streets of the capital has heightened fears that the current confrontation there will escalate into a full blown violent conflict,” said Said Boumedouha, Deputy Director of Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Programme.

“It is crucial that the authorities respect the right to peaceful protests, refrain from using excessive force to disperse demonstrations, and ensure that anyone responsible for unlawful killings is brought to justice in fair trials.”  

According to eyewitnesses, at least six people were shot and more than 50 were injured when army units guarding the cabinet building in Sana’a suddenly opened fire on a group of protesters approaching the building.

One of the protestors described how Yemeni forces opened fire using machine guns and other weaponry:

The confusion over who was responsible for an airstrike that killed 15 men on their way to a wedding in Yemen on Thursday exposes a serious lack of accountability for scores of civilian deaths in the country, Amnesty International said.

Local security officials reportedly said the wedding convoy had been mistaken for al-Qa’ida operatives, but did not identify the type of aircraft used in the attack. Local media and tribal officials allege that a drone was used – if true, this would point to US involvement in the attack.

“Even if it turns out that this was a case of killings based on mistaken identity or dodgy intelligence, whoever was responsible needs to own up to the error and come clean about what happened in this incident,” said Philip Luther, Director of Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Programme.

The appalling lack of transparency over civilian deaths in Yemen means that when violations occur, the victims and their families have no effective access to redress or reparations. The utter lack of accountability for these killings must end.”

The Yemeni authorities must immediately commute a sentence of amputation imposed on a man convicted of theft and assault, said Amnesty International.

The defendant received the “cross-amputation” sentence at Sana’a’s Specialized Criminal Court on Sunday 15 September. The sentence, which he can appeal, requires his right hand and left foot to be amputated.

“Amputation is a cruel punishment that amounts to torture and accordingly is a crime under international law,” said Philip Luther, Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Director.

“The Yemeni authorities must immediately take steps to abolish this brutal punishment.”

Sunday’s sentence is the first reported cross-amputation sentence passed in Yemen in more than 10 years.

The man was convicted of ambushing and assaulting a man as he transported cash in his car. Six other men also received prison sentences ranging from one to four years for banditry, theft and forming a criminal gang.

Yemeni security forces have acted in contravention of international human rights standards by opening fire on peaceful pro-secession protesters today in the south, resulting in four deaths and dozens of injured, said Amnesty International today.

Security forces used firearms and tear gas killing two and injuring at least 25, as thousands of supporters of the Southern Movement, which demands peaceful secession from the rest of Yemen, gathered in a non-violent sit-in at Al-‘Aroudh Square in Khormaksar, Aden.

“In utter disregard for international standards, the Yemeni authorities have attempted to quash peaceful protests with shocking use of lethal force. This is yet another bloody stain on the government’s bleak human rights record”, said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa

In addition to the two killed in the protest, a man from al-Dhal’i was killed and another seriously injured as security forces opened fire to prevent them from entering Aden to join the demonstration.

Military forces in the Yemeni capital Sana’a must not use unlawful force against dozens of injured protesters, Amnesty International said.

Since Tuesday night, the military’s Fourth Armoured Brigade has blocked access into and out of an area outside the Council of Ministers office, where protesters have been engaged in a sit-in protest to demand adequate treatment for injuries sustained during demonstrations in 2011.

Of the around 70 protesters taking part in the sit-in, more than half sustained injuries in 2011 and many have recently gone on hunger strike.

They are demanding that the authorities comply with a November 2012 court ruling calling for them to be treated for a wide range of conditions including spinal cord injuries, and damage to nerves and muscles. At least two have been using wheelchairs as a result of their injuries.

“The quickest way for the Yemeni authorities to resolve the situation is to comply with the court order. They must immediately provide reparations and ensure care for the injured,” said Philip Luther, Middle East and North Africa Programme Director at Amnesty International.