Euro-Med and IRDG call for condemning coalition violations

Geneva - The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor and IRDG condemned in a statement on Tuesday 11 September 2019 at the Human Rights Council’s 42nd regular session the Saudi-UAE-led coalition’s cover of practices by the Security Belt Forces in southern Yemen, including arrests, killings, and raids against civilian homes in the south, which may amount to war crimes.

In a joint statement, the two organizations expressed their deep concern at the killings and arrests of civilians in Yemen, particularly in the southern region which is experiencing armed conflict between the forces of the government of Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi and the Security Belt Forces, backed by the UAE.

The Euro-Med and IRDG said that the continued support of the Arab coalition to the anti-government militias creates chaos and contributes to mounting violations. The UAE air forces provide air cover for military operations in which pro-UAE militias commit killings and executions, it has been observed. Military operations have exacerbated the humanitarian situation of civilians in these areas.

The recent increase in raids and arrests of civilians in different areas of Aden raises deep concerns. According to reports, the Security Belt Forces arrested 400 people on August 30.

On August 28, the Security Belt Forces executed four prisoners inside a hospital after they were injured in a raid by the UAE air forces in Zanzibar city.

According to the UN, at least 7,292 civilians, including 1,959 children and 880 women, were killed, and 11,630 civilians, including 2,575 children and 1,256 women, were injured in Yemen since March 2015, while more than 60% of those killed were civilians as a result of the airstrikes of the Saudi-led coalition.

The Euro-Med and IRDG called on all states to immediately suspend sales or transfers of arms to all parties to conflict in Yemen, demanding the United Nations to take serious steps to stop the killings and extrajudicial executions and to bring those involved accountable by taking legal action against them.

The two international organizations urged the Security Council to condemn the UAE airstrikes on the governorates of southern Yemen, to pressure the Saudi-UAE coalition to stop supporting and arming militias attacking the the internationally recognized government and to increase relief operations in Yemen, especially in the southern governorates.

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