One year ago on 25 September 2025, the Huthi de facto authorities in Sana’a arbitrarily detained prominent lawyer and human rights defender Abdul Majid Sabra. In response, Diala Haidar, Amnesty International’s Yemen Researcher, said:
“Abdul Majid Sabra, a lawyer who dedicated his career to defending those detained based on the peaceful exercise of their human rights, continues to be arbitrarily detained at the Huthi-run Security and Intelligence detention centre in Chamlan. He was arrested from his office a day ahead of the anniversary of Yemen’s 26th of September Revolution, a date the Huthis oppose celebrating. According to a relative, he was interrogated about his social media posts marking the anniversary and about his profession as a human rights lawyer. To date, he has not been formally charged.
“Abdul Majid Sabra’s case is emblematic of the Huthis’ broader authoritarian practices to target critics, lawyers, human rights defenders and human rights and civil society workers in their attempt to control civic space and silence dissent. Their complete disregard of international human rights law, the rule of law and fair trial rights has made a mockery of the judiciary system under their control.
“The Huthi de facto authorities must immediately and unconditionally release Abdul Majid Sabra and all those arbitrarily detained solely for peacefully exercising their human rights and end their campaign against dissent.”
Background
Abdul Majid Sabra was arrested on 25 September 2025 from his office in Sana’a by a group of Huthi armed forces and armed men in civilian clothing. His arrest was part of a broader pattern of arrests of people publicly commemorating the 26th of September anniversary of the establishment of the Yemen Arab Republic in 1962. The anniversary is traditionally marked by celebrations that include torch-lighting ceremonies and people taking to the streets carrying the flag of the Yemeni Republic. Amnesty International has previously documented the Huthi de facto authorities carrying out a wave of arrests and rounding up scores of people who gathered to peacefully commemorate the anniversary of Yemen’s 26th of September Revolution.