Aden -- Human Rights Watch (HRW) has issued a new report documenting a wave of arbitrary detentions carried out by Houthi authorities in Yemen in recent months, targeting political opponents, activists, and civil society figures. 

Since July 2025, HRW says the Houthis have detained dozens of political leaders and activists, including members of several opposition parties.

The report highlights a particularly alarming incident on October 28, 2025, when at least 70 individuals affiliated with the Yemeni Congregation for Reform (Islah party) were detained within 24 hours in Dhamar governorate. 

HRW described these arrests as part of a broader campaign of repression that has intensified over the past year and a half.

According to HRW, many of those detained have been subjected to enforced disappearances, with families denied information about their whereabouts. The crackdown has also extended to United Nations staff and NGO workers, with at least 59 UN employees currently held without access to lawyers or regular contact with their families.

The report further warns that Houthis are increasingly using dubious espionage charges against detainees. In one recent trial, 21 individuals were prosecuted, with 17 sentenced to death and two given 10-year prison terms, raising serious concerns about judicial independence and due process.

HRW condemned the Houthis’ actions as a systematic attempt to silence dissent and consolidate control, noting that the detentions have targeted not only opposition figures but also businesspeople and even individuals within Houthi ranks.

Rights advocates are urging the international community to pressure the Houthis to release detainees and end arbitrary arrests, stressing that these practices violate international law and exacerbate Yemen’s already dire humanitarian crisis.