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Home » Yemen » Press Releases » YEM - News » Yemen: arrest and secret detention of Abdeladhim Al Hattar
Mr. Abdeljalil Abdeladhim Ali AL-HATTAR was born in 1982 and lives in Sanaa where he holds the "Imam Al-Haramayn" position in the City of Al-Asbahi in the same city.
He was arrested at the dawn on December 14, 2007 at the mosque where he had lead the morning prayer by members of the intelligence services who handcuffed him and took him to an unknown destination.
According to testimonies received by the family, no judicial warrant has been presented to him and the reasons for his arrest have not been notified. The information officer who lead the arrest operation only said to him that "he was sought after by al-Amn al-Siyassi (political police)".
His family has learned of his arrest by followers of the mosque and has received no news about him for three months during which Mr. Al Hattar was detained in the police policy without contact with the outside world.
When his family was allowed to contact him by phone, they learned that he is so far detained in isolation in premises of the political police services and that he has never been presented before a magistrate to be charged formally in case criminal acts were attributed to him.
No lawyer can be asked to assist him due to the absence of any legal proceedings against him. He may therefore not be visited by a council and, after nearly five months, he still ignores the legal reasons for his detention as well as the duration of this measure.
His parents are now particularly concerned about his fate, and fear he is subjected to mistreatment or torture. They appealed to authorities for his release but received not answer so far.
There is no doubt that the current detention of Mr. Al Hattar is arbitrary and contrary both to legal norms in force in the country, as well as the relevant international standards set forth in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights ratified by Yemen in 1987.
Alkarama recalls that such arrests and detentions are widespread in Yemen. Hundreds of people are detained in similar conditions in the premises of the political police without being brought to justice.
He was arrested at the dawn on December 14, 2007 at the mosque where he had lead the morning prayer by members of the intelligence services who handcuffed him and took him to an unknown destination.
According to testimonies received by the family, no judicial warrant has been presented to him and the reasons for his arrest have not been notified. The information officer who lead the arrest operation only said to him that "he was sought after by al-Amn al-Siyassi (political police)".
His family has learned of his arrest by followers of the mosque and has received no news about him for three months during which Mr. Al Hattar was detained in the police policy without contact with the outside world.
When his family was allowed to contact him by phone, they learned that he is so far detained in isolation in premises of the political police services and that he has never been presented before a magistrate to be charged formally in case criminal acts were attributed to him.
No lawyer can be asked to assist him due to the absence of any legal proceedings against him. He may therefore not be visited by a council and, after nearly five months, he still ignores the legal reasons for his detention as well as the duration of this measure.
His parents are now particularly concerned about his fate, and fear he is subjected to mistreatment or torture. They appealed to authorities for his release but received not answer so far.
There is no doubt that the current detention of Mr. Al Hattar is arbitrary and contrary both to legal norms in force in the country, as well as the relevant international standards set forth in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights ratified by Yemen in 1987.
Alkarama recalls that such arrests and detentions are widespread in Yemen. Hundreds of people are detained in similar conditions in the premises of the political police without being brought to justice.