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1 2 Eighth Report The Work of the National Commission to Investigate Alleged Violations to Human Rights in Yemen From 1 August 2019 to 31 July 2020 3 Contents First: Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................................ 6 Second: Methodology ...................................................................................................................................................................... 6 Third: Context ................................................................................................................................................................................. 7 At the Political Level ....................................................................................................................................................................... 7 At Security and Military Levels ...................................................................................................................................................... 9 At Economic and Social Levels .................................................................................................................................................... 12 COVID-19 Pandemic: ................................................................................................................................................................... 14 Fourth: The NCIAVHR Relationship with Relevant Parties .......................................................................................................... 15 Yemen Government:...................................................................................................................................................................... 15 Arab Coalition to Support the Legitimacy: ................................................................................................................................... 16 The Houthi Group .......................................................................................................................................................................... 17 Judicial Authorities: ....................................................................................................................................................................... 17 Cooperation with civil society local and international organizations: .......................................................................................... 18 Cooperation with OHCHR ............................................................................................................................................................ 20 Fifth: Key Monitoring, Documentation and Investigation Accomplishments of the Commission during the Reporting Period .... 21 Monitoring and Documentation .................................................................................................................................................... 21 Investigating Violations ................................................................................................................................................................. 23 Sixth: Findings of the Commission’s Investigations: 25 Section I: The Commission’s Investigations of IHL-Related Violations: .................................................................................... 25 First: Civilians Killed or Wounded: ........................................................................................................................................ 26 Second: Minelaying ................................................................................................................................................................. 42 Third: Child Recruitment ......................................................................................................................................................... 45 Fourth: Attacks on Cultural and Historic Objects ................................................................................................................... 48 Fifth: Attacks on Medical Staff and Health Facilities ............................................................................................................. 52 Sixth: Forced Displacement: .................................................................................................................................................... 54 Seventh: Civilian Siege and Aid Denial: ................................................................................................................................ 60 Section II: Findings of Investigations Conducted by the Commission in Relation to Violations to International Human Rights Law 62 First: Extrajudicial killings ...................................................................................................................................................... 63 Second: Arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance ....................................................................................................... 68 Third: Torture and ill-treatment ............................................................................................................................................... 78 Fourth: Blowing up of Houses ................................................................................................................................................. 84 Section III: Violations against women: ........................................................................................................................................ 86 Part IV: Victims of US Drone bombing: ....................................................................................................................................... 90 Seventh: Challenges: ..................................................................................................................................................................... 92 Recommendations: ........................................................................................................................................................................ 94 4 Acronyms: CSO Civil Society Organization GPC General People's Congress ICRC The International Committee of the Red Cross IDLO International Organization for the Development of Law IHL International Humanitarian Law IHRL International Human Rights Law JIAT Joint Incident Assessment Team MOU Memo of Understanding MSF Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) NCIAVHR National Commission to Investigate Alleged Violations to Human Rights OHCHR Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights SMEs Small and Medium-sized Enterprises STC Southern Transitional Council UNHRC United Nations Human Rights Council UNMHA UN Mission to Support the Hudaydah Agreement UNSC United Nations Security Council WFP World Food Program 5 First: Introduction By virtue of the mandate vested in the National Commission to Investigate Alleged Violations to Human Rights (NCIAVHR) to investigate all violations across the Yemeni territory perpetrated by all parties under Republican Resolution No. 140 of 2012 as amended, the UNSC decisions including UNSC Resolution No. 2051 of 2012 and Resolution No. 2140 of 2014, as well as UNHRC resolutions on the situation of human rights in Yemen since 2011, the most recent of which was Resolution No. (A/HRC/RES/42/2) issued on 2/10/2019, the NCIAVHR continues its endeavors, monitoring, documenting and investigating all forms of human rights violations committed on the territory of the Republic of Yemen in violation of national laws and international conventions by all parties. Due to COVID-19 pandemic which swept the nation, including Yemen, the eighth report which was supposed to be released in March 2020 was delayed, as the coronavirus infection fears among citizens ceased the operations in all public and private facilities and paralyzed movement in most of the regions, and curfew was forced in several cities. These procedures have affected the NCIAVHR activities, especially field visits, trainings and workshops, and other activities as covered by the Commission’s plan for 2020. Therefore, this report covers the period from 1 August 2019 to 31 July 2020. This report was issued based on the Republican Decision No. (30) of 2019 issued on 2 August 2019, which stipulated a two-year extension of the NCIAVHR’s mandate, renewable by a Republican decision. The same resolution stipulated some amendments to the NCIAVHR’s team as well as the articles of incorporation, as woman representation was increased to four female members of a total of 9 members. This resolution also stated considering not less than 30% woman representation as investigative assistants in the Commission. The NCIAVHR aims through this report to inform the local public opinion and regional and international parties of the latest developments of the human rights and humanitarian situation in Yemen. The report sheds light on the monitoring, documenting and investigating of violations across Yemeni regions, and it includes statistics of violations monitored and investigated by the Commission during the reporting period. The report presents a number of violation incidents related to IHL and IHRL investigated by the Commission, and the investigation outcomes, in addition to the major challenges and difficulties faced by the Commission. The report concludes with recommendations to all conflict parties and