Sana'a: The National Human Rights Authority has condemned, in the strongest terms, the comprehensive escalation by the Saudi enemy against civilians and civilian objects in several governorates across the Republic of Yemen.
According to Yemen News Agency, the Authority regarded these actions as a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law, international human rights law, international criminal law, and all human norms and values. It emphasized that these acts demonstrate a deliberate targeting of civilians as a policy of systematic collective punishment.
The Authority reported that Saudi enemy aircraft targeted a civilian home in the 'Akhdu' Asfal' area of Maqbanah District, Taiz Governorate, resulting in injuries to a mother and her three daughters. This act has been classified as a full-fledged war crime due to the direct targeting of civilians protected under Article 51 of Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions.
Further incidents included an attack near the 'Othman' school in Al-Rawd Al-Ruba'i area of At Al-Ta'iziyah district during a funeral procession, which the Authority described as a double crime. This involved targeting a civilian gathering and attacking a school, which is protected under Article 52 of Additional Protocol I. Such terrorizing of civilians during social events is deemed a crime against humanity.
The Authority also highlighted an attack on a citizen's house in Mount Al-Azfah Al-Maslab area, east of Hays District in Hodeida governorate, leading to the martyrdom of three women and injuries to two others. This act was classified as an extrajudicial killing and a direct targeting of civilian women, falling under war crimes and crimes against humanity as per Articles 7 and 8 of the Rome Statute.
In a further escalation, Saudi aircraft bombarded the Central Reformatory in Al-Hazm, Al-Jawf governorate, with airstrikes causing multiple casualties among inmates. The targeting of detention sites is explicitly prohibited under Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions.
In addition, the Authority noted artillery shelling in Al-Aal Al-Sheikh area in the border district of Monabbih, Sa'ada governorate, highlighting this as part of a systematic policy of collective punishment and intimidation against civilians in safe border villages.
Saudi forces also launched multiple airstrikes across Al-Jawf, Al-Bayda, and Marib governorates, employing prohibited and indiscriminate weapons against populated areas. These attacks were described as "indiscriminate" and prohibited under international humanitarian law.
The National Human Rights Authority asserted that these acts constitute war crimes under Article 8 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and crimes against humanity under Article 7 of the Rome Statute. The actions represent widespread and systematic attacks against civilian populations.
These crimes are a blatant breach of the four Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols, violating principles of distinction, proportionality, precaution, and the treatment of detainees, while constituting collective punishment prohibited under Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.
The Authority called upon the international community, the UN Security Council, and the UN Human Rights Council to fulfill their responsibilities by condemning these crimes. It urged the UN Envoy to include these crimes in his upcoming report to the Security Council, emphasizing that targeting homes, schools, prisons, and villages is part of a systematic policy aimed at subduing the Yemeni people.
Concluding its statement, the National Human Rights Authority warned that international silence on these crimes implicates global actors, stressing that justice will ultimately prevail for the victims and their families.
