Civilians without protection and crimes without punishment Human rights report documenting violations against human rights in the South and west coast regions For the period: March 26, 2015 to December 31, 2019 Issued by Civil Network for Media, Development and Human Rights (CNMDHR) Civilians without protection and crimes without punishment Human rights report documenting violations against human rights in the South and west coast regions For the period: March 26, 2015 to December 31, 2019 Issued by Civil Network for Media, Development and Human Rights (CNMDHR) Definition: Civil Network for Media, Development and Human Rights (CNMDHR) is a coordinating, civilian, Institutional, voluntary framework including 13 human rights, development and media organizations. It is a non-governmental, non-profit organization founded on Decem- ber 10, 2018, to coordinate and integrate the efforts of member organizations, and activate their role and societal presence in spreading awareness of human rights and protection. The network›s effort is essentially to monitor and document human rights violations and abuses in Yemen in general, with more focus on the geographic scope of the Southern governorates. The network is concerned with training and qualification programs and building capacity for young men and women in the human rights and legal fields, and developmental and hu- manitarian issues in general. Being aware of the importance of the role of media in protecting civil rights and freedoms, developing awareness of members of the society, and promoting the process of building and sustaining social and economic development, and consolidating a culture of respect for the law and justice. The network issues two human rights reports (a semi-annual and an annual reports) for monitoring and documenting violations of human rights and the rules of international humanitarian law, in accordance with interna- tional standards and national laws prevailing in the country. Since its establishment, the network has im- plemented many training and qualification programs and activities targeting the youth in The Civil Network for Media, the capital Aden and a number of liberated Development and Human Rights southern governorates. These programs are concerned with monitoring, documentation, reporting, archiving, budgets, and states. In ad- Address: Villa No.9, Rimi cornice, dition, they included different levels in the field Mansora, Aden of human and development media, photogra- phy, writing and preparing press reports. 200 E-mail: [email protected] young men and women in Aden, Lahj, Abyan, Website: www.cnaden.com Shabwa and Al-Mahra benefited from them. Plus, the network has organized many activities Contacts: Res: 00967358400 related to education and awareness. Mobile: 00967735600237 Civilians without protection and crimes without punishment Contents An introduction to the analysis of the humanitarian situation 6 Methodology 10 Legal Framework 11 Executive Summary 13 Section one: categories of violations of international humanitarian law Chapter one: Deprivation of Life (Murder) 20 Chapter Two: Assaulting Bodily Integrity (Injury) 21 Chapter Three: Mine Victims 22 Chapter Four: Torture, Abduction, Arrest and Enforced Disappearance 30 Chapter Five: Violations of public Rights and Freedoms 32 Chapter Six: Targeting Infrastructure, Civilian Objects and Home-Bombing 34 Chapter Seven: Targeting the Medical and Emergency Sector 37 Chapter Eight: Targeting the Education Sector 39 Chapter Nine: Forced Displacement and Emigration 40 Section two: Violations against women and children Chapter One: Violations Against women 44 Chapter Two: Violations against Children 45 A- Murder and Mutilation against children 46 B- Recruitment and use of Children in Armed Conflict: 47 C- Kidnapping children and using them as Hostages 48 Chapter Three: Looting Aids and preventing Humanitarian Aid Teams 49 4 Civilians without protection and crimes without punishment Section three: Violations of human rights in the governorates Chapter One: Incidents of Houthi Violations in Al-Dhalea Governorate, June - December 2019 55 Chapter two: Incidents of violations by Muslim 93 brotherhood Militias, Islah party and Government forces in Shabwa, August - December 2019 Chapter Three: Houthi violations incidents in Taiz and the West Coast 111 Chapter four: Incidents of Violations and Houthi forces` Massacres in Aden 2015-2019 128 Chapter five: Houthi forces violations in Abyan governorate during 2015 148 Chapter six: Violations by Houthi forces in Lahj governorate in 2015 150 Conclusion 154 5 Civilians without protection and crimes without punishment An introduction to the analysis of the hu- manitarian situation: As Stockholm›s Agreement collapses and obstacles to Riyadh›s Agreement imple- mentations, which was signed between the Southern Transi- tional Council and the Yem- eni government on November 5, 2019, are increasing, the chances of success of the ef- forts of the international envoy Martin Griffiths are diminish- ing in achieving any real pro- gress to approach common grounds between the parties to end war, suffering and the catastrophic humanitarian situation and establish durable and comprehensive peace. Under all that, Houthi forces are escalating their constant violations to ob- struct all efforts, international agreements, and decisions with clear and de- clared Iranian support.They are provided with weapons, ballistic missiles, and drones through the land and seaports and Yemeni beaches. The situation is the same as the violations and abuses committed by the legitimate govern- ment forces, the militia of Islah, and the Popular Mobilization Forces against the civilians in Shabwa and Taiz governorates. From the end of 2018, the number of military operations and hostilities car- ried out by Houthi groups increased in all frontal areas in Al-Dhalea, Al-Jawf, Marib, Hodaidah, and the southern border areas of Al-Bayda governorate. 6 Civilians without protection and crimes without punishment Also, the pace of escalation increased with the launch of ballistic missiles on the cities, facilities, and airports of Saudi Arabia, southern cities, Marib, and Al-Hodaidah is a clear trend to hinder peace efforts and prolong the war in order to achieve their goals of the sectarian baseline project and the Iranian expansion project agenda in the region. As war is entering its sixth year, the complexities of the crisis are interfering with it. Humanitarian and living conditions are also exacerbated to a degree that is difficult to imagine in a country known to be one of the poorest coun- tries in the world according to indicators and reports of the United Nations. The CNMDHR presents its second annual report on human rights viola- tions, which is a cumulative report and focuses on concerns related to viola- tions of international law, international humanitarian law and the situation of human rights in southern governorates, in particular, and in some areas of the west coast of Taiz and Al Hodaidah governorates. Under the increasing cases of violation of the repeated attacks carried out by Houthi forces, the militia of Ekhwan, terrorist groups affiliated to the Islah Party, and the forces of the legitimate government against civilians, espe- cially in Dhalea, Shabwa, Taiz and Hodaidah, targeting all aspects of the life such as killing, arresting, kidnapping, concealment, torture, forced displace- ment, and Systematic destruction of cities and villages, infrastructure, health and educational facilities, places of worship and cultural and historical ob- jects, mine-planting in roads and public places, and restrictions on freedom of opinion and expression, and the pursuit of journalists and human rights activists, and other violations. 7 Civilians without protection and crimes without punishment The report provides cumulative figures and evidences, documenting the hu- man rights situation that were monitored and documented by a number of member organizations of the network, covering the period (March 26, 2015 until December 31, 2019), that period preceded the establishment of the net- work in December 2018. This was followed by the control of Houthi in Sana’a, the military and secu- rity institutions, and economic institutions. Besides, they besieged the presi- dent and prime minister, declared war and general mobilization to invade southern governorates. Where Houthi forces, the army, and the Republican Guards of former presi- dent Saleh committed serious violations and crimes, that rise to the level of war crimes and crimes against humanity, under the Rome Statute adopted in Rome on 17 July 1998 and the fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 con- cerning the protection of civilians in times of war, including the targeting of civilians, detention, kidnapping, enforced disappearance and torture, and the indiscriminate bombing of homes, villages and cities inhabited by civilian population, civil and historical property. They used all types of heavy, medium and light weapons, including forbid- den ballistic missiles, and the deliberate use of civilians as human shields, and the destruction of roads, bridges, pumps, water tanks, and artesian wells, destruction of vital infrastructure and basic services and facilities necessary for life of the population. They were targeting educational and health facili- ties, ambulance crews, medical vehicles, mosques and places of worship. They and imposed a blockade on the residents of the areas they control, prevented the arrival of relief teams, humanitarian and medical