A Yemeni colonel was kidnapped on April 6 after he publicly announced his solitary with the peaceful youth revolt in Yemen. The family of Col. Ahmed al-Hemli's reported to HOOD that they do not have any information regarding his whereabouts or which authority is responsible for his disappearance.
Col. al-Hemli's family raised concerns... that he might be tortured because they believe that his disappearance is a result of his defection to the pro-democracy demonstrations.
HOOD calls for the General Prosecution, the Interior Ministry and the leadership of the military and security forces to immediately reveal the reasons and the place of his detention, to release him and prosecute the perpetrators.
HOOD recently received many similar complaints from relatives of military and security officers who joined the anti-government protests. HOOD was also informed of the existence of two military prisons in al-Sawad military camp of the Republican Guards and the camp of Sana'a Central Security. HOOD calls the leaders of both authorities to release all imprisoned soldiers and officers out of respect of the honor of military and the dignity of the Yemeni revolution since they joined the military and security forces for the sake of protecting the country, not for being held in detention facilities supervised by their commanders.
translated by: Radhia Khairan
Edited by: Jane Novak
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HOOD expresses extreme concern after examining the serious and rapid development of events in Yemen including the brutal repression of peaceful pro-democracy protesters by the security forces and the Republican Guards supported by the plainclothes gunmen in Aden, Taiz, al-Hodaidah, Sana'a and other governorates.
HOOD has in its possess...ion documentation, written information and testimonies regarding the attack by Central Security forces and plainclothes gunmen on the protesters using live rounds and other weapons including knives and toxic gases. The latest incident occurred late Saturday, April 9, 2011 on al-Zubairi and al-Dairi Streets and resulted in a number of fatalities and injuries. Around 20 people, wounded in head, chest, neck or may be dead, were dragged to military trucks and state cars to unknown places, eyewitnesses reported to HOOD.
The field hospitals along with private hospitals received more than 1500 wounded persons including tens of injuries of live rounds and other weapons.
Three witnesses confirm that they saw soldiers and civilians near the al-Zubairi bridge carrying the body of a dead protester to an automobile without a license plate.
Some witnesses asserted that plainclothes gunmen forced nearby stores owners to close up their stores, banned residents from exiting their houses, shot live rounds at the houses and broke into a judge's house confiscating his personal weapon and his camera by which he was videotaping their attack on the protesters
Sources affirmed that tens of the youth protesters were arrested and transferred to the Central Security detention facility. The sources related that one cell held over 60 detainees who were subject to torture, including by battery and electronic shocks . Throughout the night, the protesters were also collectively prohibited from sleeping, praying, using the toilet and were threatened with kidnapping their children and relatives because of their participation in the demonstrations.
Police station number 45 did not allow HOOD's deputy to have access to 18 prisoners who were arrested at al-Zubairi St. while they were trying to help transfer the injured persons to hospital. Among these 18 detainees, six are injured including one with an eye injury that has not received first aid yet.
HOOD has also been informed that 18 members of the Central Security refused to fire at the protesters yesterday in Sana'a, instead they left the scene and headed to their home governorates via a bus. The Central Security in Dhamar governorate stopped them, arrested and investigated them.
HOOD emphasizes that the Yemeni authorities have committed crimes against humanity, in violation of international law and the constitution, and there is nothing forbidden for the security systems, military or the authority in Yemen when countering protests.
HOOD calls the international community with all its agencies to move from words to actions and to put pressure on President Saleh and his government to stop killing civilians.
HOOD
10\4\2011
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