Al-Murtadha: Over 1,000 Yemenis freed from Saudi captivity through release and exchange deals in 2020

SANAA, Dec. 31 (YPA) – Head of the National Committee for Prisoners Affairs Abdulqadir Al-Murtadha in the Salvation Government revealed that the committee is conducting negotiations with regard to prisoners.

In an interview with Almasirah TV on Wednesday, Al-Murtadha said that the prisoners’ issue in 2020 witnessed many developments, as the first exchange process took place through the United Nations since the beginning of the Saudi-led aggression on Yemen.

“We have assured the opposing party that the Saudi pilots will not be released from prison except in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Saudi Arabia,” Al-Murtadha added.

He pointed out that “the negotiation rounds in the prisoners’ issue in 2020 were distinguished by the fact that they ended with implementation, unlike the previous rounds,” noting that 1,087 prisoners of the Army and Committees were liberated during 2020; 670 prisoners through the United Nations and 417 prisoners through local deals.

“The enemy thwarted 30 exchange deals during 2020, which were agreed upon through local parties, in order to liberate more than 600 prisoners from both sides,” according to Al-Murtadha.

“We released 150 prisoners during 2020, including 64 child soldiers who were brought into the battles by the forces of aggression, while the rest were released for humanitarian reasons.”

On October 17, Yemen witnessed the largest prisoner exchange between the forces of aggression and the Yemeni Armed Forces.

The exchange took place under the auspices of the United Nations and with the logistical organisation of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

E.M