Yemen: Three Baha’i men in arbitrary detention
Three members of Yemen’s Baha’i community have been arbitrarily detained since 10 August. One was held incommunicado for six weeks. All three remain detained without charge. They are prisoners of conscience.
UA: 266/16 Index: MDE 31/5191/2016 Yemen Date: 23 November 2016
URGENT ACTION
THREE BAHA’I MEN IN ARBITRARY DETENTION
Three members of Yemen’s Baha’i community have been arbitrarily detained since 10
August. One was held incommunicado for six weeks. All three remain detained without
charge. They are prisoners of conscience.
Keyvan Qadari, 43, and brothers Nadim al-Sakkaf, 43, and Nader al-Sakkaf, 37, have been detained without
charge since 10 August. Keyvan Qadari was held incommunicado at the National Security Bureau (NSB)
intelligence agency for the first six weeks before he was allowed the first and only phone call to his family on 23
September. Since then he has been granted no further contact with his family or lawyer, placing him at risk of
torture or other ill-treatment. Officials from the NSB have threatened Keyvan Qadari and his family with deportation
to Iran. Nadim al-Sakkaf and Nader al-Sakkaf were allowed to call their family for the first time on 5 September and
18 October respectively and they were both allowed a family visit on 30 October. Amnesty International believes all
three men have been arrested and detained solely for their religious beliefs or peaceful activities on behalf of the
Baha’i community, who are a religious minority.
Keyvan Qadari was arrested along with 64 others on 10 August by armed officers in balaclavas from Yemen’s NSB
at a Baha’i youth workshop in Sana’a, the capital of Yemen. Later that day, Nadim al-Sakkaf and Nader al-Sakkaf
were called into NSB and were also arrested and detained.
Nader al-Sakkaf on 18 October informed his family during a phone call that he and his brother had been moved
from the NSB to the Political Security Office (PSO), also in Sana’a, where they are currently detained. During a visit
from his family on 30 October, Nader al-Sakkaf confirmed that Keyvan Qadari was also moved to PSO, where they
now share a cell.
Please write immediately in English, Arabic or your own language:
Calling on the de facto Huthi/Saleh authorities to release Keyvan Qadari, Nadim al-Sakkaf and Nader al-Sakkaf
immediately and unconditionally, because they are prisoners of conscience detained solely on account of their
religious beliefs;
Urging them to ensure that, while detained, all three men are granted regular access to their families and
lawyers of their choice and are protected from torture and other ill-treatment;
Urging them to respect its commitments to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, guaranteeing
the right of the Yemeni population, including the Baha’i community, to adopt and practice their religion publicly and
privately.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 4 JANUARY 2017 TO:
Ansarullah Representative at Peace
Talks
Mohamed Abdelsalam
Email: mdabdalsalam@gmail.com
Salutation: Dear Sir
Director of the Human Rights
Department at Ansarullah Office
Abdulmalik al-Ajari
Facebook page: http://on.fb.me/1n1y4Mn
Salutation: Dear Sir
Director of the Office of the Presidency
Mahmod Abdulqader al-Jounid
Fax: +967 1 274147
Email: mahmodaljounid@gmail.com
Salutation: Dear Sir
Also send copies to diplomatic representatives accredited to your country. Please insert local diplomatic addresses below:
Name Address 1 Address 2 Address 3 Fax Fax number Email Email address Salutation Salutation
Please check with your section office if sending appeals after the above date.
URGENT ACTION
THREE BAHA’I MEN IN ARBITRARY DETENTION
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Armed officers in balaclavas from Yemen’s National Security Bureau (NSB), which works hand in hand with the Huthi
authorities, stormed a Baha’i youth workshop in Sana’a on 10 August and arrested 67 people, including six children without an
arrest warrant. Amongst the 67 people arrested were Ruhiyeh Thabet and Nafha Sanai, the wives of Nadim al-Sakkaf and
Nader al-Sakkaf respectively. Ruhiyeh Thabet was released on 6 September after she was forced to sign a pledge stating that
she “will not participate in any Baha’i inspired community service activities”. Nafha Sanai was released on 21 August after she
was also forced to sign a pledge stating that she “should not have any Baha’i activities and should practice religion at home”.
The NSB have twice raided the homes of Nadim al-Sakkaf and Nader al-Sakkaf since their arrests, on 4 September and 23
September. During these raids, masked and armed men confiscated electronic devices, personal documents and files and
Baha’i literature.
Nadim al-Sakkaf and Nader al-Sakkaf were previously detained by Huthi authorities in March 2015 and interrogated about their
faith and other members of the Baha’i community. They were released without charge after two days.
Keyvan Qadari was previously arrested and held by the Yemeni authorities from 20 June 2008 for four months, during which
time he was reported to be at imminent risk of being forcibly returned to Iran. He was held incommunicado for 40 days and
released unconditionally without charge on 23 October 2008
In another case, Hamid Haydara, a member of the Baha’i religion, is currently on trial in Sana’a after being detained in
December 2013 and accused of trying to convert Muslims to the Baha’i faith. He is also charged, among other things, with
apostasy, working on behalf of the Israeli government and undermining the independence of the Yemeni State, all of which
carry a mandatory death sentence under Yemeni law. The next hearing in his trial is due to take place on 4 December 2016.
The Huthis, mostly members of the northern Zaidi Shi’a minority, took over some army and security positions in Sana'a in
September 2014. By the third week of January 2015 they had attacked military positions, the presidential compounds and
government buildings. This led to President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi and his government resigning and the Huthis becoming
the de facto administration of the capital and other parts of Yemen. Since then, the Huthis have maintained their hold on Sana’a
and some parts of the country.
There has been a surge in arbitrary arrests, detentions and enforced disappearances by the Huthi armed group and allied
forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh since the beginning of the Saudi Arabia-led coalition's aerial campaign in
March 2015. Hundreds of activists, human rights defenders and people of various political backgrounds perceived as opponents
by the Huthis have been arbitrarily arrested, detained and, in some cases, tortured and otherwise ill-treated. Some have been
forcibly disappeared.
Name: Keyvan Qadari, Nadim al-Sakkaf and Nader al-Sakkaf
Gender m/f: m
UA: 266/16 Index: MDE 31/5191/2016 Issue Date: 23 November 2016