Michigan - The American Center for Justice (ACJ) stated that it is time to decisively end the ongoing torture crimes committed by parties to the conflict in Yemen. The ACJ emphasized the importance of all concerned international parties taking action to pursue the perpetrators of these crimes in preparation for bringing them to trial. The ACJ stressed that continued international silence on repeated violations implicitly allows these parties to continue their crimes against civilians.

In its statement issued in conjunction with the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, observed annually on June 26, the ACJ noted that this occasion comes as thousands of detainees and forcibly disappeared persons in Yemen, held in Houthi prisons, illegal prisons supervised by other armed forces and groups, as well as government prisons in Marib, are subjected to various severe forms of psychological and physical torture. These detainees are held in detention centers lacking the most basic legal and humane conditions, deprived of essential needs such as food and healthcare.

The ACJ pointed out that many prisons have become dark spots in Yemen's history of torture, with dozens of illegal and secret detention centers dedicated to enforced disappearance and systematic, severe torture. These include "Political Security" and "National Security" prisons run by the Houthis, Bir Ahmed and Waddah Hall prisons, and the Al-Teen Prison in Seiyun controlled by the Southern Transitional Council forces. Additionally, the Al-Ma’had detention center in Marib under the legitimate government, Abi Musa Al-Ash'ari Prison, Prison (400) on the western coast, and other prisons run by armed groups, are sites where various forms of torture, including torture leading to death, are practiced against arbitrarily detained and forcibly disappeared persons.

The methods of torture documented by the ACJ include kicking, beating with batons and metal rods, burning, deprivation of food and water, mock executions, prolonged suspension, sexual harassment, use of police dogs, burial in sand pits, use of stimulant drugs, cold water spraying, denial of visits, and sham trials.

Additionally, cases of women's torture documented by the center's field team in Houthi prisons in the capital Sana'a reveal that women are subjected to unethical and severe physical and psychological torture. This includes deprivation of sunlight, limited access to restrooms to once or twice a day, lengthy interrogations late at night, electric shocks, beating with sticks or batons, cold water spraying, and beating on their faces, along with continuous psychological torture throughout their detention.

The American Center for Justice urges the Special Rapporteur on Torture to initiate a serious investigation into torture crimes in Yemen and ensure appropriate sanctions against the perpetrators. The ACJ also calls on the UN envoy to exert all forms of pressure to address the detainees' issue in accordance with the Stockholm Agreement.

The ACJ calls for swift and serious action against the perpetrators of torture crimes in Yemen, paving the way for their referral to the International Criminal Court for committing war crimes and crimes against humanity based on the Rome Statute. The center emphasizes that all parties to the conflict in Yemen are required to adhere to international laws and conventions and to spare civilians from unjustified violations, especially the violation of their physical safety and the right to life, among other fundamental rights.