Your Excellency,
I write to seek urgent clarification regarding the apparent arrest and enforced disappearance of Khaled al-Junaidi, a 42-year-old southern movement activist, in Crater, Aden on August 31, 2014, allegedly by Special Security Forces (formerly known as Central Security forces). Authorities in Aden have indicated that al-Junaidi is in custody, but two weeks later have refused to inform his family or lawyer about his whereabouts.
According to two persons who witnessed his arrest, al-Junaidi arrived at the Yemen Oil gas station on Arwa Street in Crater, Aden on August 31 at about 11:30 p.m. in his dark blue 4x4 Nissan Pathfinder and got out to fill up the tank. As he was getting back into his car they saw an armored pickup style vehicle with a mounted 12.7 mm heavy machine gun pull up in front and five or six armed men get out. The men grabbed al-Junaidi and hoisted him into the back of the vehicle. One witness said that he recognized the men’s faces as people who worked at the local special security office, known as the 20 June Base, in his neighborhood. One of the armed men then got into al-Junaidi’s car, and both vehicles drove back to the nearby special security office, located within eyeshot. One witness kept watch and 15 minutes later saw the armored vehicle drive away from the special security office, with al-Junaidi’s car following. Because of the darkly tinted windows on al-Junaidi’s car, the witness was unable to see who was driving and whether there were other individuals in the car. He did not see al-Junaidi in the armored vehicle.
Al-Junaidi’s family said that when they found out the next morning, September 1, about his being taken into custody, they contacted the local police, the criminal investigation department, the security administration, and local hospitals, requesting information on his whereabouts. No one they contacted gave them any information about al-Junaidi’s whereabouts and the government officials they spoke to denied security forces’ having arrested him or holding him in custody.
On September 9, according to witnesses, a crowd of protesters gathered outside the office of President Hadi’s brother, Nasser Mansour Hadi, deputy head of Political Security in the southern coastal provinces of Aden, Abyan, and Lahj, petitioning for the release of several individuals including al-Junaidi. Al-Junaidi’s relatives present at the demonstration told Human Rights Watch that Nasser Mansour Hadi came out and told the crowd that the men on whose behalf they were petitioning were accused of serious crimes, mentioning al-Junaidi by name in addition to others.
On September 10, a friend of the family informed al-Junaidi’s father that they could bring food, clothes and al-Junaidi’s diabetes and asthma medicines to the Political Security Office in Tawahi, Aden. Al-Junaidi’s lawyer told Human Rights Watch that he then contacted the head of the criminal appeals prosecution in Aden, Waleed Kazm and the head of the appeals prosecution, Qahir Mustafa. Both said they were unable to provide any information on al-Junaidi’s whereabouts, but confirmed that neither had issued an order for the arrest of al-Junaidi.
Al-Junaidi’s family thought that he was being held in the Political Security Office in Tawahi and his brother brought food, clothing and medicine there from September 10 to 13. He told Human Rights Watch that he gave the items to local guards, asking that they give them to al-Junaidi. On September 13 an unidentified official at the institution told the brother to stop bringing any more items as it was no longer allowed. The official would not confirm nor deny whether al-Junaidi was being detained there.
On September 15, al-Junaidi’s lawyer requested that prosecutors Kazm and Mustafa issue a letter to the Political Security Office demanding information on his whereabouts.
According to Amnesty International, Al-Junaidi had previously been arrested on four separate occasions, most recently on November 6, 2013. He was released on November 27 without charge, after spending 21 days at the al-Solban Prison in Aden. He was arrested twice in 2011 and then again in February 2013, for taking part in protests. During his previous arrests officials notified his family about his whereabouts and he had access to his lawyer – albeit limited. His family said that he had participated in a demonstration on August 28, 2014 and they fear that this is the reason he was arrested this time.
On the basis of the accounts that witnesses and al-Junaidi’s family and lawyer provided to Human Rights Watch, it appears that Special Security Forces were responsible for the enforced disappearance of Khaled al-Junaidi. We would appreciate learning as soon as possible where al-Junaidi is being held, and on what grounds. As per Yemeni law, authorities must bring charges against detained individuals within 24 hours of their arrest. If this legal requirement has been breached, we call on local authorities to release al-Junaidi immediately.
Sincerely,
Sarah Leah Whitson
Executive Director
Middle East and North Africa division
Human Rights Watch
cc:
His Excellency President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi
Her Excellency Hooria Mashhour, Minister for Human Rights
Waheed Ali Rasheed, Governor of Aden
