Yemeni court prosecutes case against Baha’is despite their earlier release
Following another court hearing on 22 August 2020 in a case involving more than 20 Baha’is in Sana’a, the Baha’i International Community denounces the fact that the religiously motivated and spurious charges were not dropped and that the prosecution has now declared as “fugitives” several Baha’is who were released by the authorities last month.
Six Baha’is had been arrested and imprisoned for years solely for their beliefs. They were released by the Houthis after mounting international pressure. Despite their departure from Yemen—a condition of their release—the prosecution asked the bailors to ensure the compulsory attendance of five of them at the next hearing on 12 September.
“The Baha’i International Community is appalled that these charges have not been dropped and that the Baha’is released last month have now been branded as ‘fugitives’,” says Diane Ala’i, Representative of the Baha’i International Community to the United Nations in Geneva.
“These Baha’is are all innocent and the charges brought against them are unfounded and must be dropped. The individuals released from prison love their homeland and did not wish to leave but were left with no safe, viable option to remain given the harsh treatment and dangerous environment created for Baha’is in Yemen. The recent court hearing is unfortunately further evidence of this pattern.”
Originally published on the Baha'i International Community Website
