Yemen: Situation and treatment of former government officials who served under the Saleh government; whether they are targeted by Houthis; treatment of their family members (January 2015-November 2015)

1. Overview

Information on the situation and treatment of former government officials who served under the Saleh government was scarce among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

In correspondence with the Research Directorate, an associate professor of political science at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, who specializes in comparative politics of the Middle East, and has done fieldwork in Yemen, indicated that former President Saleh and "many of his loyalists are currently aligned with the Houthi militias" (Associate Professor 18 Oct. 2015). Other sources similarly state that Saleh and some military units loyal to him are aligned with the Houthis (Foreign Affairs 19 Apr. 2015; The Wall Street Journal 10 Apr. 2015; CFR 8 July 2015). According to sources, the alliance is "tactical" (CFR 8 July 2015) or "one of convenience rather than ideology" (Foreign Affairs 19 Apr. 2015).

The Associate Professor further stated that this "alliance" exists "despite nearly a decade of conflict" between the Houthis and former Saleh government (Associate Professor 18 Oct. 2015). Sources state that, between 2004 and 2010, the Houthis and Saleh government fought each other in six "wars" (Foreign Affairs 19 Apr. 2015; The New York Times 13 Oct. 2015) or "battles" (Muftah n.d.). According to sources, Saleh served as President of Yemen between 1990 and 2011 (BBC 24 Sept. 2015; CFR 8 July 2015). Some sources state that Saleh was overthrown during the Arab Spring protests of 2011 (Al Arabiya 30 Sept. 2014; The New York Times 31 Jan. 2014). Other sources state that Saleh agreed to step down and transfer power to an interim government to be led by his vice president, Abed Rabbo Mansour al-Hadi (CFR 8 July 2015; BBC 24 Sept. 2015). An article in Foreign Affairs, a foreign policy and international affairs publication published by the Council on Foreign Relations (CRF) (CFR n.d.), written by a geography professor at Towson University, with a specialization in Yemeni politics (Middle East Institute n.d.), describes the transitional government as a "patched together" agreement between "feuding old Yemeni elites" in the General People's Congress (Saleh's party) and Islah [an Islamist political party (The New York Times 13 Oct. 2015)] (Foreign Affairs 19 Apr. 2015). Al Arabiya, the "English-language service of the Al Arabiya News Channel" (Al Arabiya n.d.), describes the interim government as a "governing coalition formed by figures of the General people's Congress (GPC...) and the opposition Joint Meeting Parties (JMP)" (Al Arabiya 30 Sept. 2014).

According to the Associate Professor, there are "some" former government officials who served under Saleh who have been involved in the post-2011 transitional government under President Hadi, which is contested by the Houthis (18 Oct. 2015). Other sources similarly indicate that the Houthi movement has opposed the transitional government (Reuters 8 Nov. 2014; CFR 8 July 2015; Muftah n.d.; BBC 24 Sept. 2015), especially the removal of fuel subsidies in 2014, which allegedly prompted the Houthis' takeover of the capital Sana'a in September 2014 (ibid.; Reuters 8 Nov. 2014).

The Associate Professor stated that "[m]embers of the transitional government carried over from the Saleh years could expect to be at risk, as might officials [who were] explicitly associated with the campaign against the Houthis during the period from 2004-2010" (18 Oct. 2015). According to Stratfor, a geopolitical intelligence firm (Stratfor n.d.), while forming his new government, President Hadi has appointed Saleh supporters to the

ministries of tourism, civil service, Shurah Council affairs and water and environment... . Several other [GCP] members were appointed to ministry positions as well, but whether they are more loyal to Hadi or Saleh remains unclear. (ibid. 17 Nov. 2014)

Asharq Al-Awsat, a pan-Arab newspaper (Asharq Al-Awsat n.d.), reports that the Houthis have

placed senior Sana'a government officials, including ministers and deputy ministers, as well as prominent tribal figures, under surveillance following defections to the Hadi camp from the central government controlled by the Houthis and former president Ali Abduallah Saleh. (Asharq Al-Awsat 6 May 2015)

The same source further reports that this surveillance includes: monitoring their homes, wiretapping their phones, and monitoring their movement (ibid.). Further and corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

According to Human Rights Watch, the Houthis are "'disappearing those they deem objectionable'" (Human Rights Watch 15 Sept. 2015). The New York Times reports that "Houthi fighters [have] … imprisoned opponents" (13 Oct. 2015). According to the Associate Professor's knowledge, "most" cases of targeted abduction or violence have been against members of Islah, which is part of the transitional government and also served as the opposition during the presidency of Saleh (18 Oct. 2015). The New York Times, citing a human rights advocate in Sana'a, similarly reports that "[m]ost" of those detained by the Houthis are members of Islah (13 Oct. 2015). Other sources describe Islah as the Houthis' "chief antagonist" (CFR 8 July 2015) or as an "enem[y]" of the Houthi (Al Arabiya 30 Sept. 2014).

For further information on the Houthis, including history and activities, see Response to Information Request YEM105277.

2. Incidences of Targeting Former Government Officials and Their Families

Information about targeting by Houthis of former government officials who served under the Saleh government or their families was scare among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. Without providing further details, Reuters reports that the Houthis have been "enforcing a travel ban they have imposed on a number of former government officials" at the Sana'a airport (Reuters 11 Nov. 2014). Further and corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

Asharq Al-Awsat reports that a "number of former government officials" are under house arrest in Sana'a after the Houthi takeover of the capital (Asharq Al-Awsat 22 Feb. 2015). Further and corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

The same source further reports that in addition to monitoring government officials that have "defected" from the Saleh to the Hadi government, members of their families are monitored by the Houthi as well (Asharq Al-Awsat 6 May 2015). According to a report produced by the Yemeni Coalition to Monitor Human Rights Violations (YCMHRV), and disseminated by WAM Emirates News Agency, the "'Houthi-Saleh militias'" reportedly "detained civilians as hostages when they failed to arrest their wanted relatives" (WAM 26 Sept. 2015). Further and corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Al Arabiya. 30 September 2014. Manuel Almeida. "The Houthis and a History of Conflict in Yemen." [Accessed 27 Oct. 2015]

_____. N.d. "About." [Accessed 30 Oct. 2015]

Asharq Al-Awsat. 6 May 2015. Arafat Madabish. "Yemen: Houthis Monitor Suspected Hadi Loyalists." [Accessed 26 Oct. 2010]

_____. 22 February 2015. Arafat Madabish. "Hadi Escapes House Arrest to Aden, Says Still President of Yemen." [Accessed 27 Oct. 2015]

_____. N.d. "About Us." [Accessed 26 Oct. 2015]

Associate Professor of political science, Hobart and William Smith Colleges. 18 October 2015. Correspondence with the Research Directorate.

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). 24 September 2015. "Yemen Profile - Timeline." [Accessed 26 Oct. 2015]

Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). 8 July 2015. Zachary Laub. "Yemen in Crisis." [Accessed 27 Oct. 2015]

_____. N.d. "About Foreign Affairs." [Accessed 3 Nov. 2015]

Foreign Affairs. 19 April 2015. Charles Schmitz. "In Cahoots With the Houthis: Abdullah Saleh's Risky Gamble." [Accessed 30 Oct. 2015]

Human Rights Watch. 15 September 2015. Joe Stork. "Yemen: Houthis 'Disappear' Political Opponent." [Accessed 27 Oct. 2015]

Middle East Institute. N.d. "Charles Schmitz." [Accessed 30 Oct. 2015]

Muftah. N.d. "The New Power Balance in Sana'a: Houthis Overrun Yemeni Capital." [Accessed 28 Oct. 2015]

The New York Times. 13 October 2015. Kareem Fahim. "Bitterness Abounds in Yemen's North, a Houthi Stronghold." [Accessed 27 Oct. 2015]

_____. 31 January 2014. Robert F. Worth. "Even Out of Office, a Wielder of Great Power in Yemen." [Accessed 3 Nov. 2015]

Reuters. 11 November 2014. "Two Killed at Sanaa Airport as Houthis, Yemen Security Men Clash-Medics." [Accessed 26 Oct. 2015]

_____. 8 November 2014. Mohammed Ghobari and Sami Aboudi. "Insight - Houthi Expansion Puts Yemen on Edge of Civil War." [Accessed 26 Oct. 2015]

Stratfor. 17 November 2014. "Yemen's President Forms a New Government." [Accessed 30 Oct. 2015]

_____. N.d. "About Stratfor." [Accessed 30 Oct. 2015]

The Wall Street Journal. 10 April 2015. Maria Abi-Habib. "Yemen's Ousted President Saleh Helps Propel Houthi Rebel Advance." [Accessed 26 Oct. 2015]

WAM Emirates News Agency. 26 September 2015. "International Report Documents Crimes Committed by al-Houthi Militia, Saleh Group: Report in Full." [Accessed 27 Oct. 2015]

Additional Sources Consulted

Oral sources: Professor, Islamic Studies, Center for Russian, East European & Eurasian Studies, University of Michigan.

Internet sites, including: Al Jazeera; American Security Project; Amnesty International; British Broadcasting Corporation; Deutsche Welle; ecoi.net; Factiva; Freedom House; Gulf News; Institute for War & Peace Reporting; IRIN; Jane's Intelligence Review; Jane's Terrorism Watch Report; Middle East Research and Information Project; Oman Observer; Today's Zamman; United Nations - Refworld; United States - Department of State; The Washington Post; Yemen Times.