• Urgent Action

Urgent Action: RELEASE ARBITRARILY DETAINED EDUCATION EXPERT (Yemen Second UA 40.24)

September 27, 2024

Moujib al-Mikhlafi, a Yemeni education expert and trainer, has been arbitrarily detained by the Huthi de facto authorities since October 10, 2023 in Sana’a, Yemen. On September 1, 2024, a Huthi-affiliated TV program featured him in what was portrayed as a “confession” video indicating that he was a member of “a spying network” aimed at targeting the education sector in Yemen. If charged with spying, Moujib al-Mikhlafi would face the death penalty. Since his arrest, Moujib al-Mikhlafi was subjected to a litany of human rights violations including enforced disappearance, incommunicado detention, and denial of his right to legal counsel. He was held in solitary confinement for at least three months, which constitutes ill-treatment and may amount to torture. He must be immediately released.

PLEASE TAKE ACTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE UNTIL: December 25, 2024

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 Second Urgent Action 40.24. 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:

Ansarullah Spokesperson Mohamed Abdelsalam

Twitter/X: @abdusalamsalah

Email: [email protected]

*There is no domestic target for this UA

sample letter:

Dear Mohamed Abdelsalam,

We are extremely concerned about the recent developments on the case of Moujib al-Mikhlafi, a 49-year-old education expert and trainer on the rights of the child, peace building, dialogue, and nonviolent communication, who has been arbitrarily detained since October 10, 2023. Moujib al-Mikhlafi was featured in a video published on September 1, 2024, which Huthi authorities portrayed as a “confession” video indicating that he was a member of a “a spying network” aimed at targeting the education sector in Yemen.

However, to date, Moujib al-Mikhlafi has not been transferred to the prosecution or formally charged and is still denied his right to legal counsel. If charged with spying, he would face the death penalty under Yemeni criminal law. He was held in prolonged solitary confinement for at least three months in violation of the absolute prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.

We urge the Huthi de facto authorities to immediately release Moujib al-Mikhlafi. Pending his release, the authorities must ensure he is protected from torture and other ill-treatment and that he has access to legal counsel, regular family contact, and adequate healthcare. 

Yours sincerely,

[YOUR NAME]

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: