A surge in the frequency of violations against sectarian and religious freedoms has been witnessed in the capital, Sana’a, and other cities under the control of the Houthis, through a campaign of storming mosques to prevent worshipers from performing Tarawih prayers.
Over the past few days, INSAF Center for Defending Freedoms & Minorities has been able to verify photos and videos shared across social media platforms, documenting serious threats and attacks to prevent people from performing prayers.
INSAF Center expresses its deep concerns regarding the escalation of these violations of religious freedoms by the Houthi group, which tries to impose its opinion by force. We at INSAF call for an immediate end to such violations. We would also like to point to the report issued recently by the center, in which it had addressed these violations, as one of the most prominent manifestations of harassment and violations against those who differ from them in denominational.
The report states:
Houthi Repression of Minority Groups
The Houthis, a Shiite group that has overshadowed the Zaidi sect in Yemen, are a non-state armed group that has fought six wars against the state and has taken control of the Yemeni capital Sana’a since September 2014 and vast areas of the country. This group has practiced discriminatory and violent policies and forcibly displaced vulnerable Yemeni groups, such as the tens of Jewish Yemeni and Bahai families, in addition to other vulnerable Yemeni (and non-Yemeni) groups such as the marginalized Muhamasheen or refugees Asylum seekers, and immigrants from countries of the Horn of Africa.
They have carried out persecution, arrests, and deportations. At least thirteen Jewish families were displaced during the years 2020 and 2021, as well as the displacement of six Baha’i detainees in exchange for their release in 2020, in a manner that can be described as a “silent genocide”.
The Houthis have been trying to impose their teachings and ideas using force, and have also been known to practice extremism against Sunni sects in their areas of control, by suppressing the imams of these sects and imposing their own rituals and beliefs. They forbade performing the “tarawih” prayers during the month of Ramadan, and forbid the reciting of the word “Amen” when reciting Surat Al-Fatihah in prayer because they are rituals that do not exist in their doctrine. Figure 1 on the next page, shows a surge in repression practices by the group, especially during the month of Ramadan. Additionally, they have also been known for blowing up mosques and educational centers belonging to some Sunni sects.
INSAF Center has received several reports from residents in Sana’a and other areas, who informed us about the Houthis’ transformation of several mosques in their neighborhoods from places of worship to places to hold meetings, and Houthi sectarian evenings since last Ramadan.
Please follow the link below to view the full report:
