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5 March 2025
Speaker: Waleed Ayaash

Mr. President,

I speak to you on behalf of Jubilee Campaign and the National Council for Minorities in Yemen, conveying the suffering of a people suffering under one of the worst humanitarian crises of modern times, characterized by poverty, hunger, and destruction, while the world is only watching.

The root cause of this catastrophe is the fall of the state to extremist groups, led by the Houthis, who do not only destroy livelihoods but also crush what remains of freedoms, primarily freedom of religion and belief.

These groups practice systematic persecution, including arbitrary arrests, torture, enforced disappearances, and unfair trials, targeting Jews, Baha'is, Christians, and free thinkers.

Libi Marhabi, the last Yemeni Jew, remains in Houthi prisons. While many from the Aqyal are languishing in Ma'rib prisons, victims of trumped-up charges simply for expressing their national identity.

These crimes, committed by various parties, reflect a war on diversity and pluralism, which has led Yemen into chaos, deprived it of its security and stability, displaced its people, and shattered its economy.

We recommend the following:

1.⁠ ⁠Protect freedom of religion and belief in the Yemeni constitution and laws in accordance with international standards.

2.⁠ ⁠End religious incitement, hold accountable those responsible for crimes of persecution, and urge clerics to adopt a moderate and open discourse.

3.⁠ ⁠Immediately release all prisoners of belief, including Libi Marhabi and the Aqyal detainees.

4.⁠ ⁠Call on the internationally recognized government to grant the National Council for Minorities an official license to act as an independent human rights advocate.

Finally, the continuation of this situation is not only a disaster for Yemenis, but also a threat to international security and stability. The international community must assume its responsibility and act now, as silence is no longer an option.

First posted on UN WebTv: https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k1g/k1g...
https://hrc58session.sched.com/event/...