Baha’i prisoner in Yemen is yet to be released as promised
Hamed bin Haydara, a Yemeni Baha’i religious prisoner of conscience Credit: The Wire
It has been Over a month since the death sentence against Hamid Bin Haydara, a Yemeni Baha’i leader and prisoner of conscience was pardoned but he is yet to be released. he is not the only one.
’’’The decision of the Supreme Political Council to pardon Haydara and to release all Baha’i prisoners would be meaningless if it is not carried through. This delay clearly shows a lack of commitment from the Houthi authorities’’, expresses David Anderson, Former MP (Retired), Canada and Chair of IPPFoRB Steering Committee.
Echoing Anderson’s words, Kasthuri Patto, MP Malaysia and IPPFoRB Steering Committee member adds, ‘’We urgently call upon the Houthi authorities to swiftly and fully implement the order to pardon Haydara, drop the charges in the case of over 20 Baha’is and immediately release all of the six Baha’is in prison, and without further subjecting them to brutal physical abuse and mental torture. Justice delayed is justice denied’’’
After upholding Haydara’s death penalty during a hearing that was held a week earlier than planned in late March 2020, in a sudden turn of events, Mahdi Al-Mashat, head of the Supreme Political Council in Sana’a on March 25th publicly announced the release of Haydara together with other Baha’is.
This public announcement was widely applauded and appreciated by the human rights and faith-based community. However, with more than a month gone, there hasn’t been a direct implementation of the process.
From top-left: David Anderson, MP Canada (Retired), Chair of IPPFoRB Steering Committee, Kasthuri Patto, MP Malaysia, Aykan Erdemir, Former MP, Turkey and Fernanda San Martin, MP, Bolivia. Kasthuri, Aykan and Fernanda are IPPFoRB Steering Committee members.
Former Turkish MP Aykan Erdemir, one of IPPFoRB’s founding fathers and now Steering Committee member adds, ‘’we are concerned that conditions are now being placed on the release of the five Baha’is and administrative setbacks cited in the case of Haydara which suggests that the authorities are not sincere and intend to continue persecuting the Baha’is.’’
Before the President’s announcement, IPPFoRB and other international organizations had made statements condemning the Yemeni authorities for their decision and general persecution of Baha’is in Yemen.
‘’The public announcement made by the Houthi authorities would not have been possible if there wasn’t such a strong condemnation by the international community. But it would all be for nothing if the authorities don’t follow up on their commitment’, states Fernanda San Martin, MP Bolivia and IPPFoRB Steering Committee member.
BACKGROUND
Arbitrarily detained in 2013 at his place of work by the Houthi-run National Security Bureau, Hamid’s case gained attention for its fundamentally flawed process and heinous treatment he faced in prison.
Since 2018, Haydara has undergone 18 appeal court hearings and the latest hearing which was to take place on March 31st, 2020 was unexpectedly brought forward by more than a week where his public execution was upheld.
In prison, Hamid suffered brutal forms of physical torture and psychological abuse. Not only was he denied medical care on various occasions, he was also denied visitors for several months, including family and lawyers. The Baha’i International Community reports that he was also forced to sign documents while blindfolded.
After a series of trials, Hamid was sentenced to public execution in 2018 without his presence in the lower court hearing. According to USCIRF, the official charges under which he was sentenced in 2018 were ‘’allegations of being a spy for Israel, attempting to make certain locations within Yemen a homeland for the followers of Baha’i faith, offering literacy classes that followed a curriculum deemed incompatible with Islam, and attempting to convert Muslims to the Baha’i faith.’’
CONTACT
For any further information or setting up of interviews, please contact:
Liv H. Kvanvig, Director, IPPFoRB at lk@nhc.no
Palak Rao, Communications and Advocacy Advisor, IPPFoRB at pr@nhc.no or +4796652803