Saudi Arabia, UAE impede probe in Yemen: UN Experts Panel

SANAA, Oct. 4 (YPA) – Head of UN panel to investigate human rights violations in Yemen, Kamel Jendoubi has said that Saudi Arabia and the UAE have formed pressure groups to influence the team’s work.

“I did not expect the two countries’ reaction to the team and its recent report, because were professional and impartial in our work,” Jendoubi said.

In an interview with a TV program, he pointed out that the refusal of Hadi’s government to deal with his team or extend its mission “was built on a political point of view and would make it difficult for the team. This would force it to relay on other sources and methods to document human rights violations in Yemen.”

He called on the government of Hadi and all states parties to the conflict to fulfill their obligations to respect human rights and not obstruct the access of food and medical supplies destined to the war-affected civilians in the country.

Jendoubi described the incidents assessment team of the Saudi- and UAE-led coalition in Yemen as “non-independent” in its work and decisions because of “its organic link” to the coalition.

“The UN team submitted a confidential list includes names of human rights violators in Yemen,” he said, refusing to disclose any of them.

“The mechanism of accountability for perpetrators of crimes in Yemen is determined by the UN Security Council,” Jendoubi explained, adding that the role of his team is to document information and not to convict individuals because it is not a judicial body.

He described the extension of the UN Human Rights Council team’s mission in Yemen as “evidence of a UN desire to monitor violations there.”

Jendoubi pointed to the use of “suspicious channels” to distort him personally in order to influence his team’s work and undermine its credibility in public opinion, stressing that “the team will reach facts despite difficulties and obstacles.”

He said that he is convinced that his team’s reports would contribute to stopping the war in Yemen and ending the “human-made tragedy” there.

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