Yemen Monitor/Sana’a/Exclusive:
The Houthi armed group escalated its wave of arrests on Wednesday and Thursday, targeting tribal sheiks, political leaders, and activists who called for celebrating the anniversary of the glorious 26th of September Revolution.
Sources told Yemen Monitor that Houthi patrols are pursuing tribal sheiks, social figures, and leaders from the Islah Party, arresting them from their homes due to their calls in their gatherings or on social media to celebrate the 26th of September Revolution.
Among those arrested from the Islah Party are members of the standing committee: former parliament member Ahmed al-Ashari, Naif al-Najjar, and Saeed al-Ghulisi, in addition to Sheikh Ali Thabit Harmal. Sheikh Amin Rajih and his driver were also abducted alongside him.
According to the sources, Sheikh Harmal and Sheikh Amin Rajih were arrested from the former’s home in central Sana’a. The same happened with al-Ashari, whose house was raided.
An Islah Party official told Yemen Monitor that more than 22 people, supporters and leaders of the party, were arrested in the governorates of Sana’a, al-Mahwit, and Amran over the past two days.
The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media, confirmed these details.
In Ibb Governorate, to which Sheikh Amin Rajih belongs, the Houthis arrested activists Amjad Mure’i and Yahya al-Ja’ashani due to their calls to celebrate the anniversary of the 26th of September Revolution.
Since the beginning of September, the Houthis have arrested dozens of activists due to calls for demonstrations in Sana’a and other governorates to celebrate the end of the Imamate rule and warn against its return.
The Houthis fear a repeat of the demonstrations that took place last year, which caught them by surprise when thousands took to the streets of the capital to denounce the armed group’s rule and its failure to manage the country. The Houthis arrested more than 1200 people in the aftermath of those protests, who were later released.
