Iran-backed Houthis refuse to pay the salaries of state employees

An official document has revealed that the Iran-backed Houthis, refused to pay the salaries of state employees until the end of the war, despite government entities having sufficient funds to cover the salaries of employees and pensions for retirees, which have been suspended since 2016.

The document, issued on October 23rd by the so-called "Presidential Office - Grievance Authority," shows that the office's director, Ahmed Mohammed Hamed, instructed the governor of the Yemeni Central Bank, Hashem Ismail Ali Ahmed, not to execute any judgment on any government entity or public institution to disburse its funds for any entitlement "until the end of the war and the availability of financial resources later, according to directives from (Mehdi Al-Mashat) in this regard."

The document refers to court orders issued by courts in Sanaa and various provinces to execute cash balances for some government entities. These orders were issued in cases brought by Yemeni citizens and civil society organizations to pay the salaries of state employees.

Observers have pointed out that the message from prominent Houthi leader Ahmed Mohammed Hamed reveals the Houthis' determination to exacerbate the humanitarian and economic conditions for millions of Yemenis by depriving them of their salaries, despite their ability to pay. At the same time, they accuse the legitimate government and hold it responsible for cutting the salaries of employees.

They affirmed that the talk by Houthi leaders and officials about the salary issue as one of the negotiation issues that took place in previous years is nothing but a means of blackmail, political deception, and media consumption to alleviate the increasing popular pressure and anger against the Houthis, while their leaders and officials seize the state's financial revenues and the balances of government entities and special funds to establish investment projects, purchase land and real estate, and finance military operations.

While the Yemeni government regularly pays the salaries of its employees, the Houthis deprive employees in their controlled areas of their salaries, except for irregular payments every few months, which only amount to half of the basic salary.