April 25, 2019

“What is your name? What is your surname?” Years ago, this question was considered normal and could be answered without concern and without questioning the intentions of the person asking it. It was a question that was meant to make acquaintances and strengthen the links between members of society from different regions. However, it is now considered a trick question and its answer may lead to imprisonment.

Ma’rib, which is controlled by Abd Rabbou Mansour Hadi government, has received many displaced people during the past four years of war who fled hell in other governorates, providing them with the livelihoods and services lacking in many areas of Yemen.

But at the same time, the governorate installed guards at its gates to examine the identities of new comers who might be denied entry or even detained solely because of their surnames.

A resident from Sana’a says: “We are afraid to enter Ma’rib because of our surnames.The ill could die with nothing we could do to provide medical assistance abroad due to the closure of Sanaa airport. Travelling to other airports pose numerous dangers because of the different checkpoints on the road.”

Ma’rib is located approximately 170 kilometers to the northeast of Sana’a. It has a population of 238 thousand according to the 2004 census. This number increased significantly after the last war in 2015 because of the large displacement movement originating from other governorates.

For citizens coming from northern governorates, passing through Ma’rib is the only way to reach Seiyun airport in Hardhramaut in order to travel abroad especially since the Saudi/ Emarati-led coalition closed Sanaa international airport- the biggest in the country- since August 9, 2016. Travelers have to take long routes to reach Seiyun or Aden airport to be able to travel.

Travelers pass through such routes which are controlled by the different parties to the conflict. Some of these routes are close to the points of engagement. Travelers are subject to searches and inspections in dozens of security and military checkpoints, which examine their papers, interrogate them about the reasons and destination of travel. Bab al-Falaj checkpoint is at the top of the list in interrogating people based on their surnames, and travelers may be even arbitrarily detained, and accused of any charge to justify their detention.

Detainees at the Bab al-Falaj checkpoint, manned by Hadi government forces, are subjected to interrogation, humiliation, death threats and sometimes torture. Ibrahim (pseudonym), who was arrested in April 2017 at al-Falaj checkpoint, said interrogators kept asking him about the names of Houthi leaders who had the same surname as him. They tried to find out about his relationship with them. Ibrahim assured them that he knew nothing about them and that he was just a worker coming from Saudi Arabia to visit his children whom he missed.

His belongings were searched and he was locked up in a small tight room with a large group of detainees and mentally ill people. He avoided eating the food he was given so that he would not have to enter the toilets that were not usable. Like other inmates, he was subjected to psychological and physical torture. He was threatened with death, beaten with whip and sticks and tied with chains. He was asked loudly about his name and family name, which was insulted. He was accused of entering Ma’rib as a fugitive. He was also accused of two false chargers: a murder charge and the charge of belonging to the Ansar Allah group (Houthis).

Ibrahim and other detainees were released after nine months in an exchange of detainees. However, many innocent people are still being detained and are suffering behind bars not guilty.

At the beginning of the year 2019, Ali (a pseudonym) arrived at the al-Falaj checkpoint in Ma’rib, while he was on his way to Seiyun to travel abroad. His friend, who was also heading to the airport to travel, was next to him. The soldier looked at their papers, checked their names, recognized Ali’s surname and then asked him to get out of the car.

The military staff of the Special Security Forces (formerly Central Security) took Ali to an unknown location. His brother-in-law, Ahmed (pseudonym), asked about him the in criminal investigation section, police departments and the political security organization and everybody denied knowing the whereabouts of Ali. A week later, Ahmed found out that he was in the political security prison.

Ahmad spoke reluctantly to Ali on his first visit. Two men, with their faces covered, sat next to them and recorded every word they said. Ahmed noticed the bad psychological state of Ali. He then lodged a written complaint with the deputy foreign minister. An order for his release for lack of criminal charges was issued but it was not enforced.

Ali’s psychological condition worsened over time. He was accused of being responsible for military files of foreign forces. Ali knew nothing about this charge. He was just an ordinary employee, heading for a training course. Ahmed continues to follow the case of his brother-in-law, and has received promises of help from officials and influential people in the governorate, but these promises haven’t been kept so far.

Ahmed, who is still following the case, said: “I will not despair, and I will continue to follow up until my brother-in-law is released. He is a civilian who has no partisan, sectarian or political tendencies, and his first and last charge is due to his surname.”

Cases of arrest because of the name at the Bab al-Falaj checkpoint in Ma’rib governorate are ongoing. Detainees usually belong to the commonly referred to as “Hashemite families” and are accused of supporting the Houthi group, which is also known as a Hashemite family. Mwatana for Human Rights has documented 38 arbitrary arrests and 22 enforced disappearances in Ma’rib governorate between 2015 and the end of March 2019. Many of these incidents occurred because of the family name only.

Most of the exit points from Yemen have been closed, and corridors between its areas are surrounded by guards who detain people coming from certain areas on pre-prepared charges. People traveling are no longer afraid to take weapons or prohibited materials but rather most of them are afraid of their own names.