Al-hodeidah: Fifty-one fishermen arrived on Saturday at the fishing port in the city of Al-Hodeidah after weeks of arbitrary detention and harsh treatment in the 'Marsa Fatima' area in Eritrea. During the reception, attended by officials from the fisheries sector and the General Authority for Fisheries, returning fishermen shared testimonies about their period of detention.
According to Yemen News Agency, the fishermen revealed that one of their colleagues died after being struck by lightning at the detention site in Eritrea, reducing their number to 51. The fishermen stated that Eritrean authorities are still holding dozens of fishermen in the 'Marsa Fatima' area, stressing that they are subjected to various forms of physical and psychological torture and forced to perform hard labor under conditions of starvation and abuse.
They expressed gratitude to the head of the General Authority for Fisheries in the Red Sea for his efforts and support in ensuring their safe return to their families. They also called for increased pressure to secure the release of the remaining detained fishermen and to put an end to the arbitrary practices carried out by the Eritrean navy.
The fishermen condemned the continued acts of Eritrean piracy, including targeting Yemeni boats and confiscating fishing equipment, describing these violations as a blatant breach of international law.