Michigan – The American Center for Justice (ACJ) welcomes the announcement of a detainee exchange agreement reached in the Omani capital, Muscat, between the internationally recognized Yemeni government and the Houthi movement, under the auspices of the United Nations and the supervision of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). ACJ views this agreement as an important humanitarian step toward addressing one of the most pressing issues in the Yemeni conflict, and as a continuation of the commitments outlined in the Stockholm Agreement and the provisions of international humanitarian law.
The agreement provides for the release of 2,900 detainees, 1,700 held by the government and 1,200 held by the Houthi movement, including Yemeni politician Mohammed Qahtan, as well as Saudi and Sudanese detainees. It places clear priority on the most vulnerable groups, including the sick, wounded, elderly, minors, and those detained for prolonged periods, underscoring its humanitarian character.
The agreement further stipulates the exchange of detainee lists according to a specified timeline and permits mutual and comprehensive visits to all places of detention under UN supervision, with the aim of identifying all individuals detained in connection with the conflict and securing their full release. It also calls for activating the subcommittee on missing persons and the return of all remains in a manner that preserves human dignity, under the supervision of the ICRC and in coordination with the Office of the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Yemen.
The American Center for Justice affirms that this agreement represents a positive step that should be built upon and stresses that any real and sustainable progress requires the full and unconditional release of all detainees without exception or discrimination, an end to the use of this humanitarian issue as a political bargaining tool, and guarantees to disclose the fate of all forcibly disappeared persons.
ACJ renews its call on the Houthi movement to fully comply with its obligations and to expedite the release of all detainees in its custody, including employees of international and humanitarian organizations and staff of the U.S. Embassy. It also calls for an end to arrests, prosecutions, and trials targeting activists, as this constitutes a fundamental prerequisite for strengthening peace and creating the necessary environment for meaningful engagement in a lasting and comprehensive peace process that ends the suffering of the Yemeni people and is based on respect for international humanitarian law, the protection of victims’ rights, and redress and reparations.
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