American Center for Justice (ACJ) Demands Independent Investigation into the Killing of Child Ammar Al-Shuraihi a Day After Interrogation by Houthi Militia

The American Center for Justice (ACJ) calls for an independent and transparent investigation to uncover the circumstances surrounding the killing of a child, Ammar Yasser Al-Shuraihi, whose body was found next to a house in his village on October 22, one day after he was summoned and interrogated by Houthi militia gunmen.

Preliminary information received by ACJ indicates that Houthi militia operatives summoned Al-Shuraihi for interrogation on October 21 and released him later that evening, before his family found him dead the following day. The incident occurred after the group imposed its military and security control over the victim’s home village of “Akamat Al-Ruhn” in the Jabal Sabir area, south of the besieged city of Taiz.

This chronological sequence—spanning the child’s detention, interrogation, and the subsequent discovery of his body in a militarily and security-restricted zone—places direct responsibility on the Houthi group. It necessitates the immediate disclosure of the nature and conditions of the interrogation, the events preceding his death, and an inquiry into whether he was subjected to any form of ill-treatment or threats while in custody.

ACJ stresses that subjecting children to security interrogations without legal safeguards and threatening their physical integrity and right to life constitute grave violations of international human rights law and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). Furthermore, ACJ holds the Houthi militia, exercising de facto military and security control over the village, fully legally responsible for the safety and protection of the civilian population in areas under its control.

ACJ urges immediate measures to preserve forensic evidence at the crime scene and to protect witnesses and the victim’s family from any coercion that may obstruct the course of justice. The Center underscores the imperative of identifying the perpetrators, holding all those involved accountable, guaranteeing the Al-Shuraihi family’s right to full redress, and preventing impunity.