The Organization of SAM for Rights and Liberties has expressed its total rejection and absolute condemnation of the practices of the Houthi group against women in Yemen and their exploitation in acts contrary to the law and public morals under the pretext of serving the nation. The Organization confirmed that it was shocked by the information according to which women are being used to target prominent figures in the government and politicians by entrapping these figures in sexual acts. The Organization stressed that these practices violate the rights and dignity of abducted women, which were guaranteed to them by international and Yemeni law alike in its constitution.

In a statement issued by it today, Wednesday, the Organization showed its deep astonishment and concern over the received statements and leaked video clips that showed that the Houthi militia had asked its women detainees in secret prisons to practice acts that fall within the framework of "sexual harassment and coercion into prostitution" against prominent politicians, members of the government and others.

SAM Organization stated that it had listened to a leaked video clip attributed to the Yemeni MP, Abdo Bishr, who revealed through his speech at a session of the Parliament of the Houthi militia in Sana'a that the Houthi security apparatus had formed prostitution networks to entrap officials and opponents, indicating the existence of secret prisons used by the Houthis dedicated to positioning women and girls for this purpose.

Where he said: “The Houthi security apparatus has recruited women to enable them to entrap members of the government, the political council and parliament and portray them in dishonorable situations.”

He added: "This is a list of the names of the targeted women and ministers, as well as the prisons that have been established for this purpose."

On the other hand, SAM Organization said that it had seen the testimony of a judge, who, accompanied by a delegation of Yemeni activists, visited some women in the central prison in Sana'a and learned about what women are subjected to inside those prisons.

Where Abdul Wahab Qatran mentioned, through a post on his Facebook account, that he was part of a delegation made up of a number of personalities who visited the central prison in Sana'a, where they met the Yemeni mannequin abducted by the Houthi forces, "Entisar al-Hammadi," who told them of the harassment she was subjected to and strange orders are being asked of her.

Through his Facebook account, Qatran said, “The delegation included journalists, lawyers, and members of the judiciary, and that Entisar told them about the oppression, abuse, injustice and fabrication of charges, starting with accusing her of promoting drugs without any evidence, and after they failed to obtain evidence, they accused her practicing prostitution without relying on any evidence as well."

The delegation expressed its shock when Entisar told them that, after their arrest, the Houthi group “took her and the girls with her to several houses, and they told us to drink and rest with the people of those houses, so I told them this is prostitution! They responded to us, it is permissible for the sake of serving the nation!!

SAM Organization said that this is disgusting and immoral behavior that reveals the extent of violence to which women are subjected to in Yemen in the areas controlled by the Houthi militia, considering that what was recently disclosed is a type of forced prostitution that is considered a serious crime, and the international community should act quickly to stop this crime and expand the circle of penalties against people who are found guilty of it. It is also necessary to protect survivors and escapees from these prisons and provide psychological and legal support to these women.

SAM Organization confirmed that it issued two independent reports on the status of women in Yemen. The first report, issued on July 3, 2019, under the title “What is left for us,” reveals the arbitrary detention and psychological and physical torture that women are subjected to in the prisons of the Houthi group in Sana'a, Amran and Hodeidah. The other report was issued on March 18, 2021, under the title "Women in Yemen: Extended suffering and horrific violations," stressing that women in Yemen have been subjected to grave violations during the years of war, especially women detained in the prisons of the Houthi militia, including the prisons of police stations and military points.

Sam Organization, for its part, stated that Entisar al-Hammadi was arrested on February 20, while she was on her way with two colleagues and a friend to a video shooting session.

In statements he made to news websites, her lawyer, Khaled al-Kamal, said that the arrest took place "without an arrest warrant" and "without any charges being brought against her."

The lawyer added, "Now, as her lawyer, I do not know what the charges are," but he referred to "attempts to defame her," including rumors about her involvement in prostitution and drugs.

According to the lawyer, the investigation into the case was opened on April 21, when the young girl answered questions related to "prostitution and immorality."

He said, "The Public Prosecution is trying to describe the case as an indecent act," under the pretext that it showed "two strands of her hair or that she did not wear a veil on her head" in public places.

He added, "They are trying to place any accusation against her because of her work, which is opposed by the Houthis, who told her," From where do you have the courage to be a mannequin in a Muslim country." It should be noted here that the 19-year-old Entisar al-Hammadi is a Yemeni of an Ethiopian mother, and works for many local fashion designers, as she posts pictures of herself wearing traditional Yemeni clothes or leather jackets on her Facebook and Instagram accounts, which are followed by a few thousand people.

For its part, SAM Organization denounces the statements made by the Yemeni mannequin about the Houthi’s request that she and girls perform sexual acts that violate public morals and Yemeni and international law, stressing that the group that claims to apply Islamic law violates one of the fundamentals of the Islamic religion that guarantees women her dignity and honor from assault.

In the conclusion of its statement, SAM Organization stressed its rejection and condemnation of the behavior of the Houthi group in forcing female detainees and abducted women to practice acts contrary to public morals under any pretext, calling on the international community to open a serious and independent investigation into what was published allegations that prove the involvement of the Houthi group in establishing secret prisons for the purpose of sexual acts, and the allegations mentioned by Entissar, and the need to bring the perpetrators of those acts to a fair trial, stressing the importance of the Houthi group to release all abducted men and women and work to close all prisons where thousands of people are present without legal charges to them.