11 BAHA’IS DISAPPEARED FOR MORE THAN 100 DAYS (YEMEN 60.23)

On May 25, armed Huthi forces stormed a peaceful gathering of Baha’is in Sana’a, Yemen. They detained and forcibly disappeared 17 individuals including five women and human rights and humanitarian workers. Following international pressure, six people were released – one man and three women in June, and two men in July. However, 11 individuals, nine men and two women, remain in Huthi custody and their whereabouts remain unknown. They are at risk of further violations at the hands of the Huthi authorities. They must be immediately and unconditionally released.

TAKE ACTION:

• Write a letter in your own words or using the sample below as a guide to one or both government officials listed. You can also email, fax, call or Tweet them.
• Click here to let us know the actions you took on Urgent Action 60.23. It’s important to report because we share the total number with the officials we are trying to persuade and the people we are trying to help.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

SAMPLE LETTER:

Dear Mohamed Abdelsalam, 

I am alarmed that 11 Baha’i individuals, nine men and two women, remain forcibly disappeared by the Huthi de facto authorities following a raid on a peaceful gathering on May 25, 2023. This is another egregious violation of international human rights law in the Huthi de facto authorities’ ongoing persecution of the Baha’i community – a religious minority in Yemen.

Huthi de facto authorities detained 17 Baha’i individuals in the raid. Days after the arrest of the Baha’is, the General Prosecutor denied a request for their release submitted by their lawyer. According to the lawyer, the authorities have failed to provide any information on where the Baha’is are being held and no lawyer has been able to communicate with them. Among the 11 disappeared is Abdullah Al-Olofi, a father of four and a human rights activist who has led programs training activists on peaceful coexistence and freedom of religion and belief. Hassan Tariq Thabet, father to a two-year-old toddler, is a humanitarian worker who worked in food distribution. Abdul’elah Muhammad Al-Boni, a father of two with another child on the way, is deeply involved in charity work and community service.   

I call on the Huthi de facto authorities to urgently disclose the fate and whereabouts of the 11 Baha’i detainees in their custody and to immediately and unconditionally release them. I also call on you to end all forms of discrimination and persecution of the Baha’i minority and all others who are targeted solely for the peaceful exercise of their right to freedom of religion and belief.  

Yours sincerely, 

[YOUR NAME]

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

• READ THE FULL URGENT ACTION: Wordopens in a new tab or PDFopens in a new tab
• GET INSPIRED: Read about the people you have helped
• READ TIPS for writing effective letters and emails
• CONTACT US: [email protected]