Militias kidnap 1,500 Yemenis, including women and children

Fifteen hundred Yemenis have been abducted by Houthis and militias allied to ousted President Ali Abdullah Saleh, since the beginning of 2017 until May, a report on the human rights situation in Yemen revealed on Sunday.

The report noted that the kidnaping extended to activists, politicians, children, women and workers, as well as the practice of the militia to various types of torture for those in prison.

The report, by the Yemeni Coalition to Monitor Human Rights Violations, included references to the repression and kidnappings by the Houthi militia from January to May.

42 Children and 33 Women

In details, the report noted that the militia abducted about 1,500 people, including 318 activists, 170 politicians, about 698 workers, 42 children and 33 women.

The report estimated the torture of 28 civilians and activists in the militia’s prisons.

The means of torturing victims in the militia’s detention centers varied between electric shocks, beatings with steel cables, sticks and other means, the report noted.

The militias continue to carry out numerous kidnapping campaigns against activists and hostile citizens in all areas under their control.

Other reports said 440 civilians were killed by the militia in the first half of 2017.