Michigan - The American Center for Justice (ACJ) expresses its deep concern and condemnation at the death sentence issued by one of the Houthi-run courts against activist Fatima Al-Arwali as a discretionary punishment. We call on the Houthi group to immediately release the abducted activist from its prisons in the capital, Sana'a. 

The Specialized Criminal Court in Sana'a issued its decision today, Tuesday, after a trial that lacked any legal foundations. The trail took place after the kidnapping of “Fatima Al-Arwali” in August 2022, while she was passing through a checkpoint in Taiz after her return from the Emirates after a visit she made to her family there. Fatima was forcibly disappeared in solitary confinement for 8 months before being brought to an unfair trial on charges of espionage.

According to the follow-up of the (ACJ) the activist “Al-Arwali” faced an unfair trial, and her lawyer was prevented from representing her more than once although she tried to follow this matter up. Furthermore, she was accused of unfounded charges, as the group insisted on accusing the activist of “collaborating with the Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia, supporting the aggression, and providing coordinates for the locations of the army and popular committees.”

It is worth noting that the activist “Al-Arwali” heads the Al-Mua'al Organization for Human Rights Development, as well as the Office of Arab Women’s Leadership in Yemen, affiliated with the League of Arab States, and was an employee at the Presidency of the Republic.

We at the American Center for Justice (ACJ) express our condemnation and rejection of the ruling issued against the activist “Al-Arwali” by the courts affiliated with the Houthi group. We demand her immediate and unconditional release and all those detained by the group and stress that the activist’s trial witnessed many violations of the conditions of a fair trial stipulated by the law.