Michigan – The American Center for Justice (ACJ) expresses its deep concern over serious and identical information indicating that soldier Mujahid Mahyoub Ali Abdulrahman Al-Sofi (30 years old), a father of three children, was subjected to arbitrary arrest and systematic torture that led to his death while in detention at the Al-Tawhid Brigade camp in the border area of Al-Buqa. This incident constitutes death under torture and a grave violation of the State’s obligations under international human rights law and international humanitarian law.
According to facts and testimonies verified by the Center, the victim was summoned from the Marib front to the border front, then taken to the Axis Operations Headquarters. Beginning in April 2024, he was subjected to unlawful detention and torture for nearly two months, including beatings with electrical cables, burning, and electric shocks. These acts resulted in his death on 19 June 2024, with direct witnesses present to the acts of torture and to the moment of death. Available information indicates that the arrest and torture were a direct reprisal for a video recording in which the victim called for the formation of a Saudi committee to review the conditions of fighters, constituting a flagrant violation of freedom of opinion and expression.
The Center notes that the facts indicate the torture that led to the death of soldier Mujahid Al-Sofi was carried out with the knowledge and approval of the leadership of the Al-Tawhid Brigade, rising to the level of direct and indirect command responsibility for the crime, in accordance with the principles of individual criminal responsibility and command responsibility for serious crimes. The Center further notes that the victim was buried hastily without any forensic autopsy, in what appears to be a deliberate attempt to conceal evidence and obstruct the truth regarding the torture and killing he suffered while in detention.
ACJ also reports that the victim’s relatives submitted an official complaint to the Military Prosecution of the Sixth Military Region, requesting an investigation into the incident, disclosure of its circumstances, and accountability for those responsible. However, the absence of serious and transparent investigative measures to date heightens concerns about impunity and undermines the victim’s and his family’s right to justice and redress.
The American Center for Justice affirms that the acts committed against Mujahid Al-Sofi fall squarely within the definition of torture under Article (1) of the Convention against Torture, reinforced by the absolute prohibition set out in Article (2), which allows no exceptions or justifications for torture under any circumstances. As the torture resulted in death while in custody, the incident constitutes an extrajudicial killing and a violation of the right to life guaranteed under Article (6) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, in addition to violating Article (7), which prohibits torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment.
The American Center for Justice calls on the Yemeni Military Prosecution to open an urgent, independent, and credible criminal investigation into this case, in line with international standards of independence, impartiality, and transparency, with the participation of independent forensic experts. The Center urges the temporary suspension from duty of all commanders, officers, and personnel named in the case pending the outcome of the investigation, the prevention of any interference with evidence or witnesses, and the provision of effective witness protection and safe reporting mechanisms.
The Center further calls for an independent autopsy to be conducted in accordance with the Minnesota Protocol, with the full results delivered to the victim’s family and a summary made public. ACJ also demands the criminal referral of all those involved, including those who ordered, supervised, and carried out the violations, to the competent judiciary, rather than limiting accountability to superficial administrative measures. In addition, the Center calls for comprehensive reparations for the victim’s family, including fair compensation, restitution of dignity, and guarantees of non-recurrence, as well as permitting independent monitoring visits to military detention facilities and reviewing detention and interrogation policies to ensure the absolute prohibition of torture and respect for human dignity.
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