Mwatana Defends its Constitutional and Legal Rights and Calls for Unity Against Repression and Intimidation
Mwatana for Human Rights stated that the directive issued on April 17, 2025, by the authorities in the city of Taiz—affiliated with the Islah Party and the internationally recognized government—which ordered the banning of Mwatana’s activities and contained serious threats against any individuals or entities interacting with the organization, constitutes one of the systematic repressive measures aimed at undermining the space for independent human rights and civil work. These measures are practiced by various parties across different areas of Yemen, in violation of the Constitution of the Republic of Yemen, its applicable national laws and legislation, as well as international treaties and conventions.
The organization added that the directive represents a clear example of arbitrary actions and practices that disregard existing laws, legislation, and constitutional principles, which are supposed to form the basis for the legitimacy of authorities and their decisions and actions. Mwatana emphasized that the serious content of these directives, issued under the names of official government bodies that are supposed to abide by the law and respect public rights and freedoms—and to refrain from violating the rights of any citizen—contained irresponsible accusations that classified Mwatana for Human Rights and its Chairperson, Radhya Al-Mutawakel, as affiliated with one of the parties to the conflict, without any legal or factual basis. The directive further adopted fabrications and accusations propagated by online disinformation networks, which operate without any legal or ethical restraint. All of these claims stand in complete contradiction to the well-established facts documented across dozens of Mwatana’s reports, statements, studies, publications, and activities, all of which are publicly available for objective scrutiny through the organization's website, interactive maps, and social media accounts. Collectively, these materials constitute a national human rights archive that objectively, professionally, and accurately documents violations committed by all parties to the conflict in Yemen, in accordance with the highest standards.
Simultaneously with the issuance of these unlawful directives, the Taiz authorities and allied networks launched a broad campaign of incitement and intimidation against the Mwatana team, the organization's Chairperson, and human rights activists, as well as civil society organizations. This campaign included threats of prosecution and retaliation against anyone participating in legitimate and lawful civil activities or engaging in human rights work to expose violations. Military and security leaders participated in the campaign, indicating that illegal security and military directives had been issued to arrest Mwatana’s Chairperson, Radhya Al-Mutawakel, immediately upon her entry into the city of Taiz, and to pursue any entities or individuals who cooperate with the organization or its Chairperson.
In recent days, Mwatana for Human Rights has been closely monitoring the directives, statements, and reactions concerning the organization and its work in Yemen generally, and in Taiz specifically. In light of the seriousness of the campaign’s content, Mwatana offers the following clarifications:
First:
Mwatana for Human Rights affirms that all of the organization’s activities are civil, lawful, and legitimate, and that it operates independently. Its objectives are to promote the rule of law, protect human rights, and uphold justice and equal citizenship, through documenting and exposing human rights violations, providing legal support, building capacities, raising awareness, and advancing accountability, redress, and reparations efforts. These are noble goals shared with millions of Yemenis and constitute fundamental rights that no authority has the power to undermine under any pretext or circumstance.
Second:
Mwatana reiterates that it maintains equal distance from all parties, supports only civilian victims, and opposes human rights violations committed by any actor. The organization works to strengthen the rule of law, justice, and equal citizenship, and conducts all its activities guided by a Code of Conduct, a strategic plan, and meticulously developed policies, regulations, and manuals, in line with the highest international standards and in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of Yemen and its applicable laws.
Third:
Mwatana highlights the enormous volume of fabricated claims circulated by disinformation networks about the organization’s work in Taiz—claims that contradict Mwatana’s unwavering commitment to civilian victims in Taiz and throughout Yemen. The organization urges all interested parties to review its reports, studies, press releases, and interactive maps available on its website, which offer the most comprehensive and accurate documentation of violations against civilians. Mwatana also welcomes any questions, queries, or observations.
Fourth:
Mwatana reminds all parties in this statement of a number of fundamental rights that the Taiz authorities and their online networks have publicly sought to undermine, in blatant violation of the Constitution of the Republic of Yemen, its laws and regulations, and international treaties. These rights include: the freedom of civil society organizations and human rights defenders to operate; freedom of opinion and expression; freedom of movement; protection from defamation; and the right to legal protection. Mwatana reaffirms its steadfast commitment to defending the inherent rights of the organization, its Chairperson Radhya Al-Mutawakel, its team, civil society workers, and all Yemenis—rights guaranteed under the Constitution of the Republic of Yemen, its applicable legislation, and international agreements and conventions.
Fifth:
Mwatana stresses that the targeting of independent human rights work, the imposition of unlawful restrictions on civil society activities, the reckless fabrication of serious accusations, and the issuance of threats against human rights workers by various parties across different areas of Yemen are all grave and condemnable violations, regardless of the perpetrating party, its geographic location, or the pretexts used to justify these acts.
Sixth:
Mwatana reaffirms its openness to dialogue with authorities and individuals, and its willingness to discuss any misunderstandings regarding its work and to respond to any questions or observations.
Seventh:
Mwatana calls on Taiz’s elites—and Yemen’s elites more broadly, individuals and entities alike—to take the initiative in confronting authoritarian and repressive tendencies, campaigns of intimidation and defamation, and to uphold the rule of law, the Constitution, and the principles of a civil state in the face of authoritarianism, chaos, arbitrariness, and improvisation.
Eighth:
Mwatana warns of the grave danger posed by incitement, intimidation, and defamation campaigns that are devoid of any ethical, professional, or legal standards, and that poison the public sphere with a series of orchestrated, senseless battles aimed at distracting communities from focusing on the fundamental truths of their core issues.
Ninth:
Mwatana for Human Rights calls on the international community, and on local, regional, and international organizations, to work toward compelling the Presidential Leadership Council, the internationally recognized government, and the de facto authorities across different areas to lift all unlawful restrictions imposed on civil society organizations, to halt campaigns of repression, intimidation, and hostility, and to cease incitement, defamation, and disinformation campaigns.
Tenth:
Mwatana renews its unwavering commitment to continue documenting and exposing human rights violations, providing legal support, building capacities, raising awareness, advancing efforts toward accountability, redress, and reparations, and working to strengthen the rule of law, protect human rights, and uphold justice and equal citizenship.
