Earlier this month, the ICRC completed a ten-day visit to the Khamis Mushait detention center in Saudi Arabia, where people detained in connection with the conflict are under the authority of the Saudi Arabian Armed Forces. A similar visit was made in Sana’a in October.
In situations of non-international armed conflict, the ICRC offers its humanitarian services to ensure that all detainees are housed in humane conditions. These visits allow the ICRC to verify the living conditions of the detainees and facilitate the exchange of news of a family nature between them and their relatives.
“We highlight the permanent commitment of all the parties to take into account the humanitarian aspects and to facilitate the work that the ICRC carries out to verify the health conditions of the detainees, send news to their families and promote their release in safe conditions” said Fabrizio Carboni, the ICRC’s regional director for the Near and Middle East.
“Building on the confidence that the parties have shown in the ICRC’s humanitarian mission, we reiterate our commitment to continue assisting the detaining authorities to ensure that detainees are housed in humane conditions. We await the conclusion of the political negotiations to release, transfer and repatriate all those detained in connection with the conflict, so that they can be reunited with their families after years of separation”, said Mr. Carboni.
Pursuant to the December 2018 Stockholm Agreement, the ICRC, following its modalities and principles and acting as a neutral intermediary, has on several occasions since 2019 supported the simultaneous or unilateral release and transfer of more than 1,500 detainees by the parties to the conflict.
“The measures that the ICRC has taken to address the conditions and needs of those detained in connection with the conflict in Yemen aim to help build trust between the parties. Furthermore, we remain hopeful that they will support the much-needed political solution to end this conflict,” Mr. Carboni added.
The ICRC has been present in Yemen for more than 60 years, as well as in the countries of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, including six years in Saudi Arabia. It works to promote respect for international humanitarian law in times of armed conflict and provides humanitarian assistance to communities in need.
Contact(s) for the media:
Alaa Nayel, ICRC, Kuwait City (Arabic, English) [email protected] +965 96673614
Ali Daoudi, ICRC, Sanaa (Arabic, English) [email protected] + 967730500719 or +967738552689
Jason Straziuso, ICRC, Geneva (English, French) [email protected] +41227302077