ICRC delegation visits detention center of prisoners of aggression in Capital

• The International Committee of the Red Cross delegation in Yemen on Monday visited the prisoners of aggression and mercenaries at the detention center in the capital Sana’a.

During the visit, head of the National Committee for Prisoners’ Affairs, Abdelqader al-Murtada stated that the visit of ICRC delegation to the detention center of the prisoners of aggression takes place on an ongoing basis.

Al-Murtada said “We allow the Red Cross to make regular and permanent visits to the detention facility since its establishment in Sana’a in 2019, and it meets the prisoners individually and takes the procedures approved by ICRC throughout the world”.

He added, “We regret that the other side did not allow the ICRC to visit any of the prisons, especially Marib prisons, and it did not allow the prisoners to communicate with their families or to visit prisoners who suffer great suffering in enemy prisons.

He said, “We previously had separate prisons, but after the aggression targeted three prisons repeatedly, and dozens of them were killed, we put the prisoners in one headquarters, which is the main detention center that includes prisoners from all fronts, and we took all measures with the Red Cross and the Office of the UN Envoy to ensure the detention center will not be targeted by aggression.”

Al-Murtada stressed that negotiations are still continuing with the other party through the United Nations to implement the agreement that was signed last March.

He added, “The agreement with the other party was that in April and May, all statements would be exchanged and arrangements made with the Committee to implement the agreement, But unfortunately, the mercenaries obstructed it, and we reached with them only 20 percent of the agreed statements, and there is still a long way to go to reach the full statements of the prisoners who are supposed to be released.”

He continued, “The UN’s performance with mercenaries is weak and does not rise to the required level, and the UN envoy is supposed to use pressure papers on the other party to implement what was agreed upon, and if work continues as it is currently, unfortunately the implementation of the agreement will be delayed…”

The head of the Prisoners’ Affairs Committee explained that the mercenaries set new requirements, which contributed to obstructing the implementation of the agreement by refraining from providing the required statements and the names that had been agreed upon, which contributed to the delay in resolving the issue with the mercenaries.

He stressed that the names that were settled by 20 percent were with Saudi Arabia, while the file with the mercenaries was not resolved.

He pointed out the Islah party in Marib province obstructs the
implementation of the agreement and the swap exchange.

For his part, Deputy Head of the ICRC delegation in Yemen, Ralph Wehbe confirmed that the visit to the detention facility in the capital Sana’a is taking place according to the work procedures followed by the ICRC which are carried out in various countries of the world.

“Today is the second visit of the Committee to the detention facility, which will last for two weeks,” he said, expressing his thanks to the concerned authorities for allowing and facilitating this visit.

He pointed out that the detention facility in Sana’a has been visited since 2019, and the visits have been repeated periodically since that date, and things are going according to the procedures of the Committee.

He added, “We are thankful and grateful for the cooperation between the Committee and the Prisoners’ Affairs Committee, and we always strive, during the existing dialogue with those in charge of the Committee, to facilitate our work,” expressing his happiness to undertake this humanitarian work.

He said, “We always seek, through dialogue, to assist in the exchange of prisoners, and any recommendations or observations and a desire to reach other places, and the dialogue is continuing to exchange bilaterally with the concerned authorities on this issue.”

Wehbe pointed out that the visit takes place in accordance with the procedures followed and adopted by the International Committee of the Red Cross, including meeting with detainees in private.. Noting that this visit, as all visits, have objectives, as the ICRC looks at places of detention, conditions of residence, dealing with detainees and health aspects.

He stressed the committee’s endeavor to provide services to detainees such as restoring family links, helping them communicate with their families, and building capacities to improve the quality of services provided in places of detention.

He stated that, during the visit, the committee counts the detainees, especially as negotiations are taking place in this regard under the auspices of the UN envoy’s office and determine the process of their exchange that will take place soon, which will enable the committee to play the role of a neutral mediator to facilitate the exchange and release the prisoners.