Human rights organizations are expressing grave concern over the deteriorating health of lawyer and human rights defender Abdulmajeed Sabra, who has been detained by the Houthi group in Sana'a for months. Simultaneously, his family has reported receiving direct threats from Houthi officials due to their advocacy for his release.
Sabra's family has stated that they have been subjected to repeated threats from Houthi security personnel, indicating escalating pressure they face for their efforts to expose the circumstances of his detention and demand an end to what they describe as arbitrary arrest. The family revealed that they recently visited Sabra in the Houthi intelligence and security prison in Shamlan, the first visit since his transfer. However, they found his physical and psychological condition to be severely diminished due to harsh detention conditions and continuous pressure to abandon his human rights work.
During the visit, family members observed a marked change in the prison administration's treatment of Sabra. A Houthi security supervisor, known as "Abu Saree'," made statements that led the family to believe there is a premeditated intention to keep Sabra detained indefinitely without a clear legal path, intensifying fears for his safety and future. The infringements have extended beyond Sabra himself, as family members reported being threatened and insulted by Houthi security elements and leaders while present at the intelligence and security headquarters in Sana'a.
According to the family's testimony, a security leader identified as "Abu Amir Al-Sana'ani" threatened to arrest any family member, particularly those active on social media who continue to demand Abdulmajeed Sabra's release and highlight his case. The family views these threats as part of a systematic policy aimed at silencing those calling for his release and preventing his case from being disseminated through media and human rights platforms. They believe the detained lawyer is paying the price for his well-known professional stances in defending opinion detainees, public freedoms, and humanitarian issues.
The Houthi group arrested lawyer Abdulmajeed Sabra on September 25, 2025, and he has remained in detention outside of established legal frameworks since then. The group is accused of disregarding judicial orders and warrants issued by the Public Prosecution that called for his release or referral to the competent authorities in accordance with applicable legal procedures. Sabra's case raises increasing questions about the state of justice and the rule of law in Houthi-controlled areas, especially with the ongoing detention of human rights and legal figures without fair trials or transparent judicial proceedings. The threats directed at his family also reflect a worrying trend of expanding pressure to include relatives of detainees and activists demanding their legal rights.
In response, local and international human rights organizations continue to call for the immediate and unconditional release of Abdulmajeed Sabra and all those detained for their opinions and peaceful activities. They warn that his continued detention amid his deteriorating health and psychological condition could endanger his life and add another violation to the record of human rights abuses attributed to the group. Observers emphasize that the continued detention of a prominent lawyer and human rights defender, despite judicial and human rights demands for his release, coupled with threats against his family for exercising their legitimate right to demand his freedom, underscores the significant challenges faced by human rights defenders in Houthi-controlled territories and necessitates urgent action from international organizations and relevant authorities to protect the detainee and his family and ensure adherence to legal and humanitarian standards.
