Mothers of abductees call for release of 44 detainees in Bir Ahmad Prison due to Covid-19 spread in Aden

ADEN, May 12 (YPA) – The Association of Mothers of Southern Detainees in the prisons of the UAE occupation on Monday called on the international community to “save the lives of 44” people detained in the southern port city of Aden.

The “44 detainees held in Bir Ahmed jail run by the UAE occupation forces, are at higley risk due to spread of corona virus (COVID-19),”  the association said in a statement, “after the prison’s director infected with the  virus and his brother, who worked at the same jail, died.

“While the coalition-backed government has declared Aden as infested city, security authorities still refuse to release the prisoners,” the statement read.

The association called on Hadi government to shoulder its national, legal responsibility, protect the detainees and secure their safety. It also called the UN, UNHCHR and Saudi-led coalition to press for immediate release of the detainees.

In March 2018, the Aden Criminal Prosecution Service issued a decision to release detainees in Bir Ahmed prison, who have not been found guilty of criminal acts, but the decision has not yet been implemented.

According to international human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, Aden has informal detention facilities and secret prisons, and the families of detainees are prevented from visiting them.

As of Monday, the coalition-government had reported 56 cases of corona virus in its areas of control, including nine deaths and one recovery, according to Hadi’s ministry of health data.

E.M