Houthis’ use of sexual violence as a weapon against women is a terrible crime: UK

Britain has denounced the detention, torture, sexual violence, and rape of politically active women in Yemen by the Houthis, according to a foreign office statement, following a UN sanctioning of a top Houthi police official accused of rights abuses.

“Today’s UN Security Council Resolution 2564 (2021) sanctioning Sultan Zabin clearly demonstrates that the international community will not tolerate the atrocious use of torture and sexual violence in conflict zones,” Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, the UK’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict and Minister of State for South Asia and the Commonwealth, said in a statement.

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“It is just and right that Zabin is sanctioned for leading the Criminal Investigation Department’s (CID) heinous campaign of systematic arrest, detention, torture, sexual violence and rape against politically active women in Yemen,” Ahmad added.

The UN Security Council adopted a resolution on Thursday renewing for one year its individual sanctions against Yemenis and adding the name of the director of the Criminal Investigation Department in Sanaa to the list.

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The text, drafted by the United Kingdom, was adopted by 14 council members, with only Russia abstaining, according to diplomats.

The text also adds a name to the list of people sanctioned: Saleh Aida Aida Zabin, the head of the department of criminal investigation.

He “engaged in acts that threaten the peace, security and stability of Yemen, including violations of applicable international humanitarian law and human rights abuses,” said the Security Council in the resolution.

“He has played a prominent role in a policy of intimidation and use of systematic arrest, detention, torture, sexual violence and rape against politically active women.”

(With AFP)