asia alhatari
Sat - (18 Oct 2014) - Sana'a
A militant of Ansar Allah Group (Houthis) - backed up by a few other militants - killed Waddah Ahmed Ali Al-Hitari, 35 years old, on Friday, October 10th, 2014 near Dar Al-Dawa Pharmacy, victim’s workplace, in front of the Republican Hospital, Zubayri Street, Sana’a, Mwatana Organization for Human Rights maintained. Mwatana Organization for Human Rights requested the Attorney General to open an immediate investigation into the incident, prosecute the offenders, and safeguard the victim’s family right to justice before courts without any pressures and constraints of any kind.
The victim’s mother, Aasya Mohammed Ali, 55 years old, told Mwatana Organization for Human Rights that there had been pressure on her to sign a waiver of her rights to pursue legal means for her son’s murder. Mediators from Houthi Group told her that the body of her son would remain in mortuary for years if she refused to sign the waiver. Aasya said, “I signed it because I wanted to bury his body. Actually, I was forced to, but I will never relinquish the blood of my son. I did not receive blood money, and I never will.”
Radhya Almutawakel, Mwatana Organization for Human Rights Director, has indicated that the leadership of Ansar Allah Group (Houthis) must bear responsibility for violations committed by its armed militants, and hand over the perpetrators to law enforcement authorities instead of doubling their violation by pressurizing the victim’s family. She emphasized that “attempts to hide and protect the perpetrators are nothing but a dangerous behavior that could aggravate violations by armed militants against the lives and rights of unarmed citizens”.
Witnesses told Mwatana Organization for Human Rights that four of Ansar Allah militants came to Dar Al-Dawa Pharmacy at about 10:30 am on Friday, October 10th, 2014, and asked about Waddah, suspecting him of belonging to al-Qaeda because of his long beard. One of Waddah’s colleagues told Mwatana Organization for Human Rights that he had assured the militants that Waddah had no relations with any group or party, that he had been working in the pharmacy for 13 years, and that he was a peaceful and well-known person in the area. Then, the militants left the pharmacy.
Four witnesses told Mwatana Organization for Human Rights that while Waddah Al-Hitari was coming back to work after lunch around 2:00 pm, he was stopped by an armed militant of Ansar Allah Group and was shot dead. Meanwhile, there were about five militants waiting for the murderer in a car belonging to Ansar Allah.
A witness said, “I saw an armed militant of Houthi Group speak to Waddah Al-Hitari in the street near Dar Al-Dawa Pharmacy. I was then sitting on a chair inside. Suddenly, I heard the sound of a single shot. I rushed out and saw Waddah lying on the ground covered in blood. The bullet had penetrated the right upper side of his chest and got out through his back. I asked the armed militant why he had killed that innocent man, but he threatened me and said that Waddah was al-Qaeda member”.
Another witness said that when the armed militant stopped Waddah, Waddah started to unbutton his shirt, saying “I do not have any weapon”, but the armed militant immediately opened fire at Waddah. The militant also prevented witnesses from taking Waddah to the Republican Hospital, only a few meters away from the scene. Waddah continued to bleed until he died. Another witness said that the body of Waddah was transferred to the Republican Hospital mortuary only after getting permission from Houthi militants.
Medical sources at the Republican Hospital confirmed the arrival of the body of Waddah Al-Hitari to the mortuary between 2:00 and 2:30 pm on Friday, October 10 and remained in the hospital until Tuesday morning, October 14th, 2014. A security source said that Ansar Allah militants smuggled the murderer to an unknown destination.
Mwatana Organization for Human Rights requests Ansar Allah to hand over the culprit to justice and refrain from enhancing impunity using the power they have.
Waddah’s body was buried in his final resting place in Al-Nujaimat Cemetery on Tuesday, October 14th, after the signing of a waiver by his family on October 12th.
Photo of Aasya Mohammad Ali, victim’s mother, with her son Waddah, in her home on Saturday, October 18th.
