The terrorist crimes of the Houthi militia against the various components of Yemeni society do not stop, especially towards the media who have been subjected to torture by the Iranian-backed militia that wants to hide its crimes by preventing its access to the media, which prompted it to carry out arbitrary arrests of journalists, including Abdullah Al-Munifi, who was kidnapped in prisons. Al-Houthi for 756 days before his release through tribal mediation and sums of money.
Al-Munifi revealed to the Saudi newspaper, Al-Bilad, the details of what happened to him in prison, saying: It was a really terrifying night on the evening of February 18, 2016, when the Houthi militia crews surrounded my residence with my companion Hussain Al-Eisi, and dealt with me brutally at the moment of arrest, which reflects the great hatred of everyone He refuses to submit to the authority of the militia that has overthrown the state and the people.
He added, “The militia does not need a motive to kidnap or arrest a person, it is sufficient for him to have a position rejecting its coup against the Yemeni state and its practices against Yemenis. As for being a journalist, this is a crime for the militia because it sees in the journalist the voice of truth that exposes its goals and false slogans.” Al-Houthi believes that journalists are “true witnesses,” so he has targeted them, kidnapped dozens of them and tortured them brutally.
Al-Munifi went on to say: “When they handed us over to Al-Shouneh Prison at a crossing with my companion Hussein Al-Eisi, we found at the gate an armed Houthi teenager who dealt with us badly, claiming that our kidnapping came for the sake of the homeland, while reality says otherwise, they want to silence our voices to sabotage and plunder the nation’s goods.
Al-Munifi confirmed that his journey in the Houthi cells began in a secret prison in Sana’a, the location of which is not known specifically, for a period of six months, which was the most severe period of kidnapping, adding, “We were subjected to physical and psychological torture and a vain investigation, and then they spent more than a year in government prisons that the Houthi militia controlled, while It was the last 3 months with hundreds of kidnappers crammed into a wing for mentally ill persons in the central prison in Dhamar city, and it was a very harsh period.
He pointed out that he suffered both after leaving behind 5 children suffering his loss, stressing that he was subjected to many methods of torture inside Houthi prisons, which began by hanging by the hands on the ceiling for long hours, and being beaten with whips on various parts of the body to the head, pouring cold water on him and then beating him once Other, electric shocks, and handcuffing in painful positions for long hours after which he could not move, and holding his breaths blindfolded from after dinner until dawn, pointing out that his prison companions lost the ability to move for days and during that threaten liquidation and kidnapping their children. Abdullah Al-Munifi pointed out that the investigations in the Houthi prisons are not for the purpose of eliciting information, but rather an entrance to the practice of psychological and physical torture, as there are no real facts or charges. The questions are absurd about issues that the journalist has nothing to do with, in addition to questions about sectarian issues and the opinion of the militia leadership. The accusations are strange, ironic and cynical. They start from employment in neighboring countries to employment for America and Israel and other strange charges.
Al-Munifi said that after unsuccessful attempts to pressure him and his family to change his positions, he obtained release on March 4, 2018, through tribal mediation and sums of money, describing his condition at the time, with a mixed feeling between joy and sadness. The joy of his exit from the dark Houthi prisons, and the sadness of the remaining of his comrades under the whips of the executioners.
He continued, “The experience, as much as it is painful and cruel, is inspiring to walk the path of liberating Yemen from criminals. I came out with more faith in the importance of liberating Yemen, restoring the state and unifying national forces. Those who have lived for years in the militia prisons of Iran and have lived with extremist racist elements can only be More adherent to his national identity and the liberation of Yemen from this criminal militia.
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