Amnesty calls on Houthis to urgently disclose the fate and whereabouts of the 11 Baha'i detainees

Amnesty International calls on the Iran-backed Houthis to urgently disclose the fate and whereabouts of the 11 Baha'i detainees in their custody and to immediately and unconditionally release them.

We also calls on Houthis to end all forms of discrimination and persecution of the Baha'i minority and all others who are targeted solely for the peaceful exercise of their right to freedom of religion and belief. Amnesty said in a statement on Tuesday.

On 25 May, armed Houthi forces stormed a peaceful gathering of Baha'is in Sanaa, Yemen. They detained and forcibly disappeared 17 individuals, among them five women. Following international pressure, six people have since been released – one man and three women in June, and two men in July. However, 11 individuals, among them nine men and two women, remain in Houthi custody and their whereabouts remain unknown.

They are at risk of further violations at the hands of Houthi authorities, including torture and other ill-treatment or even death.
They must be immediately and unconditionally released. Amnesty added.