Human Rights Watch Accuses Houthis of War Crimes
New York (Agencies): Human Rights Watch accused the Yemeni Houthi group of carrying out attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, stating that these incidents likely amount to war crimes in at least three cases. The organization warned that the lives of civilian ship crews are being put at risk, as fighting in Yemen intensifies and its repercussions on international maritime security widen.
In a statement, the group said the recent attacks targeted vessels flying the flags of Saudi Arabia, Tanzania, and Dominica. It noted that the Houthis announced on July 20 the imposition of a naval blockade on ships linked to Saudi Arabia, in response to what they described as a naval and air blockade imposed on areas under their control in northwestern Yemen.
The organization based its assessment on ship-tracking data, statements from the Houthis and Yemeni and Saudi authorities, verified images and video footage, as well as published information about the targeted ships. It said available evidence indicates that the Houthis knew, or should have known, that at least three of the ships were commercial and carrying civilian crews, and that no evidence was provided to prove the presence of military targets on board.
The cases documented by the organization included the ships “Ensilia,” “Daisy,” and “Amzan,” along with the ship “Tihama,” which was attacked in the Bab al-Mandab Strait on August 11.
Human Rights Watch affirmed that international humanitarian law protects civilians and civilian objects from attacks, and obliges parties to the conflict to take all feasible precautions to ensure that targets are military in nature and to minimize harm to civilians. It added that deliberate or reckless attacks on civilians and civilian ships may constitute war crimes, and that criminal responsibility may extend to commanders and fighters who commit such acts or assist in their execution.
The organization called on the Houthi group to immediately and unconditionally cease all illegal attacks on civilian ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, emphasizing that civilians working at sea should not be forced to endanger their lives while performing their duties.
Belqis Jawad, a researcher at the organization, said that attacks on civilian crews, whether deliberate or reckless, constitute war crimes, and that geopolitical considerations do not justify targeting civilians.
