Arab Experts Union’s declaration about the Human Rights Council’s report on the state of Human Rights in Yemen

We have sadly received recently the report of the UN Human Rights Council about the state of Human Rights in Yemen, which includes the outcomes reached by a group of prominent international and regional independent experts, for what it holds of severe injustice against the Arab coalition forces in Yemen led by Saudi Arabia.

The report went beyond the stage of equality between the victim and the executioner, to the illegal criminalization of the coalition forces, protectors of legitimacy in Yemen, which intervened in line with the UN resolution 2216, and at the invitation of the legitimate President of Yemen Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi to save Yemen and its people from the coup of the Houthi militias, and the accusation of the coalition forces at the expense of the main perpetrator and the main and only perpetrator of the crimes in Yemen, the Houthi militias, which the report avoided mentioning their name, referring to them as the de facto authorities.

The aforementioned report was based on false, inaccurate and illogical evidence in such situations. It also contradicted with the reality with the testimony of everyone who visited Yemen, especially the areas under legitimate forces with the support of the Arab Coalition Forces.

Unfortunately, this report also denies the efforts made by the coalition countries on the humanitarian and development field in Yemen. All observers of the situation on the field in most of the territories that were liberated in Yemen can see the reconstruction of these cities and their development by the coalition forces and the relief agencies of the Arab Alliance States in Yemen.

The current situation of stability, security and development in the liberated south, especially in the city of Aden, the insurance for the civilians and reconstruction of what was destructed and looted by the Houthi militias, and the return to life in all administrative, health and educational fields after all the destruction and displacement of civilians, is the best evidence of the good will of the Arab coalition forces in Yemen.

The Arab Experts Union also deplores the failure of the report to address the documented violations of the Houthi militias, for example:

• The Directing of ballistic missiles by the Houthi militias towards the Muslim sanctuaries and the populated civilian areas, and the targeting of one of Saudi Arabia’s largest airports in Riyadh.
• The militias’ planting of a very large numbers of indiscriminate mines and the wiring of dead bodies.
• The forcing of children to join the militia forces and pushing them to the front lines, and then filming them as dead civilians from the coalition forces, which is a disinformation and violation of the children rights.
• The striking of the aid convoys preventing them from entering the cities by the Houthis.
• The smuggling of weapons, which were seized upon barely a week or so ago, across the coast of Yemen.
• The looting of the central bank and the layoff of thousands of employees which were replaced by members of the Houthi militia.
• The cutting off electricity and water from civilian housing and accusing the coalition of these tribulations.
• The doubling of the prices of fuel in the capital Sana’a and forcing civilians to buy them.
• The attacking of peaceful marches, especially women’s, demanding their rights in the capital Sana’a and all the occupied territories.

The report also ignores the main reason for the imposition of a siege on the smuggling of arms to the occupied territories, considering it an unjust siege, while no aid was prevented, contrary to the actions of the militias of the coup, and the cessation of wages referred to, is due to the looting of the Central Bank and its savings by the Houthis and the disposal of its funds for their coup and the purchase of weapons used against the Yemeni people.

The Arab Experts Union strongly condemns and is surprised by the use of a vague and inaccurate language in the report and allegations that are not from any official sources to indictment the coalition countries. It is very clear that the report relied on the views and beliefs of anonymous personal sources and correspondents without any evidence since all allegations in the report against the Arab coalition forces in Yemen began with words such as “the team of experts believes that…”, “may have committed…”, and “the possibility of committing crimes…” which are vague words stating a personal opinion that is not based on facts or evidence, which confirms the unreliability of this report and the illegitimacy of relying on it as a source of information on the situation in Yemen.

The illegitimacy of relying on the report as a source of information on the situation in Yemen is evident in most of the charges, especially the contradictions on the issue of recruitment and use of children in the war. The report mentioned that the team received information and allegations from unclear sources, stating that the coalition forces are using children in Yemen, which is a claim that cannot be relied upon or referred to as an indictment, while it was mentioned, secondly and less importantly, the existence of evidence and eyewitnesses on how the Houthi militias and Saleh are using children, and these are reliable and official tools of condemnation of the Houthi militias. Unfortunately, the report has adopted the same misleading approach to all other allegations and fabrications against the Arab coalition forces in Yemen, which is surprising to anyone who is familiar with the basics of law.

Whoever takes a look at this report, whether an expert or not, clearly sees its lack of credibility and its injustice towards the Arab coalition forces in Yemen. The Arab Experts Union therefore calls on all concerned not to adopt this report. He also calls on the United Nations and the Human Rights Council to investigate such allegations prior to their publication in international reports which harm the reputation of the countries and parties that have made precious efforts for the benefit and freedom of the Yemeni people and the development of Yemen in general.